In the world, more and more and more people suffer from the inability of their immune systems to differentiate between healthy cells or invaders microorganisms. The immune system is being attacked with the defenses against disease that were once there to protect them.
International research is being undertaken to combat the growing trend. This is a London-based initiative. Francis Crick Institute where two world experts, James Lee, and Carola Vinuesa have established separate research groups that will determine the causes behind autoimmune disorders.
Lee stated to the Observer, that autoimmune cases were increasing in the West in the past 40 years. However, some of these cases are now being seen in countries where they have never had such illnesses before.
The Middle East, East Asia and Africa have had the highest increase in the number of cases of inflammatory bowel disorders over the last few years. They'd never heard of this disease prior to.
Autoimmune diseases can range from type 1 diabetes to rheumatoid arthritis inflammatory bowel disease and multiple sclerosis. Each case is different. In all cases the immune system crosses its wires and switches on healthy tissue rather than infectious agents.
About 4 million people in the UK have suffered from these diseases. Some may be suffering more than one. It is believed that autoimmune disorders increase by anywhere from three to nine percent per year worldwide. The rise in cases of autoimmune diseases is thought to be due to environmental factors, according most researchers.
Lee, who was formerly situated at Cambridge University, stated that human genetics have not changed over the past few years. Something is taking place outside that is increasing our risk of developing autoimmune disorders.
Vinuesa was in favor of the idea, having previously worked at the Australian National University. She noted that there were changes in the diet when more people ate western meals and more fast food.
Vinuesa said that some vital elements in fast food diets aren't present such as fiber. It is known to suggest that altering the microbiome (the assortment of microorganisms and microbes we have in our digestive system) could lead to an impairment in specific bodily functions.
These changes in our microbiomes can trigger autoimmune disease, of which more than 100 cases have been reported.
Both researchers stressed that there were individual susceptibilities to these illnesses. This includes celiac and Lupus. It causes inflammation, swelling, and can cause harm and even death to various organs, such as the heart.
"If you don't possess a certain genetic susceptibility, you won't necessarily get an autoimmune disease, no matter the amount of Big Macs you eat," said Vinuesa. "There's no thing we can do to stop the worldwide expansion of fast food chains. Instead, we are focusing on the genetic factors that cause autoimmune diseases. We want to know the reasons why certain people are more vulnerable to the disease than others. This is the way we intend to address the problem."
Because of the advancement of technology, researchers are now able to find tiny differences between people's DNA. This is how it is possible identify common genetic patterns in those Click here with an auto-immune disease.
Lee explained that until recent, we didn't have the tools needed to identify DNA. Now, we're blessed with this incredible power that has completely changed the way we do things. We only knew about half a dozen variants of DNA that could trigger inflammation in the bowel when I started my study. Over 250 of them are identified.
Lee and Vinuesa focus their efforts on this kind of work. They are keen to find out more about the genetic pathways and discover the root causes of diverse diseases they study. Vinuesa stated that autoimmune disorders such as Lupus for instance are present in many forms, and can have multiple genetic reasons. When you're trying to find the most effective treatment for your condition it can become an issue.
We have lots of potentially useful new therapies that are developing constantly however, we aren't sure what patients to recommend them to, because we now realise we aren't sure of the type of disease they have. This is the reason why research on autoimmune disease is now a top priority. To provide the best treatment, we have to understand how to classify patients.
Lee said that rising cases of autoimmune disease around the world means new medications and treatments are needed now more than ever. It's impossible to treat autoimmune diseases. It happens when people are young and trying to complete their college education and get their first job, and have families.
It means that a growing number of people will have undergo surgery or receive regular injections. It's a very stressful experience for patients as well as an enormous strain on health care system. We require innovative and effective treatment methods.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune conditionthat is due to the immune system attacking healthy tissue in the body. However, we aren't sure what triggers it.
The immune system typically produces antibodies to fight off bacteria and viruses to combat infection.
Your immune system could incorrectly release antibodies to joints when you have rheumatoid. These antibodies attack the tissues around them.
The thin layer of cells (synovium), that covers your joints, gets inflamed and swollen.
bones
Cartilage is the connective tissue which connects bones and cartilage
Tendons, the tissues that join bone to muscle
Ligaments The ligaments are the tissues that connects bones and cartilage.
If the condition is not addressed, it will gradually lead to the loss of joint alignment and form. It could eventually cause the destruction of the joint.
There are many theories about why the immune system attacks Read More joints have been proposed including an infection being the trigger, but none of them has been confirmed.
Possible risk factors
You could be at greater risk for developing rheumatoid arthritis if you do not take the following steps:
your genes - there's some evidence to suggest that arthritis may be passed down through families, but the likelihood of passing it on is thought to be low as genes are only thought to play a tiny role in the condition
Hormones are responsible for causing arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is now more prevalent than ever in women, possibly due to the hormone effects of oestrogen. The link, however is not proven.
Smoking is a risk factor - Research suggests that those who smoke are more likely develop rheumatoid arthritis.