Professor John Isaacs is leading a study which hopes to cure rheumatoid arthritis – he has shared the ‘pioneering’ project and revealed its numerous benefits for patients
What is rheumatoid arthritis? Find out if you have it with this video
Health experts believe it could be possible to “switch off” deliberating pain caused by arthritis following a groundbreaking new study, which could help patients who struggle across the world.
It comes as scientists launched the UK trial of a treatment which could lead to a cure for rheumatoid arthritis. Professor John Isaacs, who is leading the research, labelled the study as “pioneering” and shared the numerous benefits for patients of different age groups. The AuToDeCRA-2 study seeks to prove it is possible to train white blood cell “generals” of the immune system to stop other cells from attacking healthy tissue.
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Funded by the charity Versus Arthritis and the European Commission, the study is run by Newcastle University and the city’s hospitals. Prof Isaacs, who has worked in the field for 35 years, said there are different types of cells that come together, like an army of soldiers, to attack disease.
These take instructions from the white blood cells known as dendritic cells, or the “generals” of the immune system. When they sense danger they send out the attack signal. However, if there is no danger, they instruct the army to ignore healthy tissues.
The expert added: “There are only one or two other groups around the world doing similar work. This treatment could provide significant benefits to people living with rheumatoid arthritis by ‘switching off’ the disease.”
For the research, the patient’s white blood cells are grown in the lab and trained to resemble the “calm” generals and command “soldier” cells to stop attacking the joints.
The outcome of the trial could have huge benefits for the 18million rheumatoid arthritis patients worldwide. It could also have implications for other autoimmune diseases such as diabetes or multiple sclerosis.
The first two trials involve 32 patients so more research is needed, but a larger trial may follow, with treatment to follow in 5 to 10 years if the scientists can find a winning formula.
Currently, there are around 450,000 patients struggling with the disease in England. They include Carol Robson, 70, a retired nurse from Jarrow in South Tyneside, who is taking part in the research.
Before she was diagnosed, she had to shove her hands in packets of frozen peas in a bid to soothe the agonising feeling. She remains hopeful about the research and says it has been a “wonderful” experience to take part in.
Carol takes immunosuppressants, but injected white blood cells leave her in less pain. “I do think it is better,” she told the BBC. “If this trial works to switch off rheumatoid arthritis that would be wonderful. It is a privilege to be part of it.”
