Inflammatory Dendritic Cells in Arthritis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Characterization of IL-17 Biomarkers and Synovial Inflammatory Dendritic Cells in Inflammatory Arthritis
IRAS ID
185532
Contact name
Amanda Mackenzie
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 2 days
Research summary
Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA), Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) are chronic inflammatory diseases estimated to affect between 1.5 and 2 percent of the UK population. Inflammatory arthritis can lead to a significant reduction in physical activity and wellbeing with considerable social and economic impact. Tumour necrosis factor alpha inhibitors (TNFi) are used in patients who have failed treatment with conventional disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) such as methotrexate and sulfasalazine. Whilst a substantial proportion of patients respond to TNFis, only 10-45% achieve a state of remission or partial remission. Currently, we are unable to predict who will respond to TNFis.
Recently a new cell, termed an inflammatory dendritic cell, has been found in the joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. This cell appears to be important in the activation of a different inflammatory pathway termed the Th17 cell pathway. Th17 cells release key chemicals called cytokines which act as signals between different cell types. Recent studies have demonstrated that RA patients that do not respond to anti-TNF therapy display increased Th17 cell activity. In these patients, targeting the chemicals released by the Th17 cells may result in greater clinical efficacy. It is therefore important to fully characterize the role of inflammatory dendritic cells in different types of inflammatory arthritis, and assess the degree of activation of the Th17 pathway, particularly in those patients that have failed to respond to TNFis.
This study will look at the activation of the Th17 pathway in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis by measuring the level of key cytokines in the blood and joints of patients with arthritis. It will also look at the role of inflammatory dendritic cells in activating this pathway. The inflammatory dendritic cells will be isolated from the joint fluid of patients with arthritis, and their function studied.
REC name
South West - Central Bristol Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/SW/0275
Date of REC Opinion
8 Oct 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion