Study: Gene Therapy Reduces Severity of Rheumatoid Arthritis in Mice

Researchers at Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan have discovered a gene therapy technique that reduced the severity of rheumatoid arthritis in mice, which may lead to better treatment of the disease in humans.

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is an immune system substance thought to trigger inflammation in the joints of rheumatoid arthritis sufferers.

Researchers tested two types of gene therapy in mice who were artificially bred to have rheumatoid arthritis. One gene, CIS3, has been shown to block IL-6 in living systems and researchers speculated that it might do the same in the mice.

The other gene was a mutant form of STAT3, which carries out the actions of IL-6 when working properly, and researchers speculated that the mutant form of the gene might block these actions.

Investigators reported in the Journal of Clinical Investigation that after injecting the gene-enhanced DNA into the mice, the CIS3 gene dramatically reduced the severity of arthritis and joint swelling and was more effective in reducing inflammation than the mutant STAT3 gene.

"Thus, induction of CIS3 could represent a new approach for effective treatment of rheumatoid arthritis," wrote the researchers.

Other sources: Journal of Clinical Investigation