Axial spondyloarthritis (SpA) is a very painful and enervating type of arthritis that is found to be affecting thousands across the globe. This disease is found to cause inflammation of the skin, joints, spine, gut, and even the eyes. Recently, a team from Schroeder Arthritis Institute developed a new treatment option for SpA patients to improve their quality of life. The research published in journal Science Translational Medicine focuses on the effort to develop alternative treatments to biologic drugs usually used in SpA. According to Dr. Akihiro Nakamura, the lead author, around 50% of the patients do not respond to any treatment and hence suffer from terrible pain or bone formation. There is a despairing need to develop an alternative treatment that can help reduce the clinical symptoms of SpA.
In the current study, the researchers found the Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) – a protein known to cause inflammation or stimulate immune response‑ to trigger the progression of SpA. The patients with SpA showed high levels of MIF plus CD74 (its receptor) in the blood & tissues as they were secreted by the neutrophils. The release of MIF is found to cause inflammation of the other cells. If the production of this protein could be stopped then the prevention of this disease in the future is possible.
After understanding the role of MIF, the researchers have been able to confidently prevent the development of SpA in their experimental models. The researchers used MIF blocker named MIF098 as a new treatment for SpA. The major reason for an alternative treatment is to reduce the pain & stiffness that results in mobility issues as well as spinal fusion over time. The team now plans to test the potential of the MIF blockers, dose optimization, mode & frequency of administration, and side effects in the humans.
