The Rheumatologist
COVID-19 NewsACR Convergence
  • Connect with us:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Feed
  • Home
  • Conditions
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • SLE (Lupus)
    • Crystal Arthritis
      • Gout Resource Center
    • Spondyloarthritis
    • Osteoarthritis
    • Soft Tissue Pain
    • Scleroderma
    • Vasculitis
    • Systemic Inflammatory Syndromes
    • Guidelines
  • Resource Centers
    • Axial Spondyloarthritis Resource Center
    • Gout Resource Center
    • Psoriatic Arthritis Resource Center
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis Resource Center
    • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Resource Center
  • Drug Updates
    • Biologics & Biosimilars
    • DMARDs & Immunosuppressives
    • Topical Drugs
    • Analgesics
    • Safety
    • Pharma Co. News
  • Professional Topics
    • Ethics
    • Legal
    • Legislation & Advocacy
    • Career Development
      • Certification
      • Education & Training
    • Awards
    • Profiles
    • President’s Perspective
    • Rheuminations
    • Interprofessional Perspective
  • Practice Management
    • Billing/Coding
    • Quality Assurance/Improvement
    • Workforce
    • Facility
    • Patient Perspective
    • Electronic Health Records
    • Apps
    • Information Technology
    • From the College
    • Multimedia
      • Audio
      • Video
  • Resources
    • Issue Archives
    • ACR Convergence
      • Gout Resource Center
      • Axial Spondyloarthritis Resource Center
      • Psoriatic Arthritis
      • Abstracts
      • Meeting Reports
      • ACR Convergence Home
    • American College of Rheumatology
    • ACR ExamRheum
    • Research Reviews
    • ACR Journals
      • Arthritis & Rheumatology
      • Arthritis Care & Research
      • ACR Open Rheumatology
    • Rheumatology Image Library
    • Treatment Guidelines
    • Rheumatology Research Foundation
    • Events
  • About Us
    • Mission/Vision
    • Meet the Authors
    • Meet the Editors
    • Contribute to The Rheumatologist
    • Subscription
    • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Search
You are here: Home / Articles / RA Treatment Options: Researchers Explore Groundwork for New Therapies

RA Treatment Options: Researchers Explore Groundwork for New Therapies

February 7, 2017 • By Thomas R. Collins

  • Tweet
  • Email
Print-Friendly Version / Save PDF

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Researchers at the 2016 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting discussed how they are exploring the immune system in search of groundwork for new rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatments.

You Might Also Like
  • Immune System Targeted for Research into New Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatments
  • 2013 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting: Researchers Explore Role of Pathogens, Quality of Care in Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • California Rheumatologists Explore Managed Care, Treatment Options
Also By This Author
  • Promising Avenues in Myositis: Research Targets Disease Specificity

The new avenues, supported by the Rheumatology Research Foundation, involve T cell adhesion, new understanding of the role of macrophages and insights into the way IgG glycans function.

ad goes here:advert-1
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

T Cell Adhesion
In one line of research, Adam Mor, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine and pathology at New York University, said his lab was seeking to refine therapies that focus on T cell adhesion, a potentially better way of treating inflammation than methotrexate or biologics, which “tend to remove the T cells from the body or kill them,” meaning patients are immunosuppressed.

“Why can’t we just not kill those T cells, not mess with the subpopulation, just remove them [and] prevent them from getting to the joints?” he asked.

ad goes here:advert-2
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

A monoclonal antibody targeting lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 (LFA-1), a mediator of T cell adhesion, was introduced in 2006 and produced a potent anti-inflammatory effect, but cases of JC virus, which leads to the deadly brain infection PML, were soon observed in patients. The drug was removed from the market.

Dr. Mor’s lab looked at targeting just one of the two types of T cell adhesion rather than relying on global adhesion. Through a series of experiments, the researchers eventually focused on the phospholipase C epsilon 1 (PLC-e-1) gene. In the absence of this gene, they found, there was no activation of the Rap1 protein, a promoter of T cell adhesion.1 This effect was seen in only one type of adhesion.

Researchers have also found that, in animal models, arthritis scores were lower in the absence of PLC-e-1, “suggesting that this enzyme is required for migration of T cells” to the joint.

ad goes here:advert-3
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

“The next step, of course, is to look for drugs that can target PLC-e-1,” Dr. Mor said. His lab is now working on a functional screen in search of small molecules that can do just that.

Researchers believe, he said, that this potential therapy could interrupt T cell adhesion without the risk of JC virus seen with LFA-1 treatment.

“We believe that if you inhibit PLC-epsilon, you’re not going to do anything to the T cell–APC (antigen presenting cell) interaction, so most of the problems with T cells are going to be fine,” Dr. Mor said. “The only thing is they won’t be able to go to the site of inflammation. More than that, the intervention would be reversible. It’s going to be a small molecule that we can use while [the patient has] inflammation. It’s not going to be a maintenance treatment. And that was different from the LFA-1 antibody.”

Pages: 1 2 3 | Single Page

Filed Under: Conditions, Rheumatoid Arthritis Tagged With: 2016 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting, ACR/ARHP 2016, ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting, human immunoglobulin G, Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), Rheumatology Research Foundation, T cell, T cell adhesion

You Might Also Like:
  • Immune System Targeted for Research into New Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatments
  • 2013 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting: Researchers Explore Role of Pathogens, Quality of Care in Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • California Rheumatologists Explore Managed Care, Treatment Options
  • Researchers Work Toward Early ID & Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis

ACR Convergence

Don’t miss rheumatology’s premier scientific meeting for anyone involved in research or the delivery of rheumatologic care or services.

Visit the ACR Convergence site »

Simple Tasks

Learn more about the ACR’s public awareness campaign and how you can get involved. Help increase visibility of rheumatic diseases and decrease the number of people left untreated.

Visit the Simple Tasks site »

Rheumatology Research Foundation

The Foundation is the largest private funding source for rheumatology research and training in the U.S.

Learn more »

The Rheumatologist newsmagazine reports on issues and trends in the management and treatment of rheumatic diseases. The Rheumatologist reaches 11,500 rheumatologists, internists, orthopedic surgeons, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who practice, research, or teach in the field of rheumatology.

About Us / Contact Us / Advertise / Privacy Policy / Terms of Use / Cookie Preferences

  • Connect with us:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Feed

Copyright © 2006–2023 American College of Rheumatology. All rights reserved.

ISSN 1931-3268 (print)
ISSN 1931-3209 (online)