The microbiome comprises diverse microbial flora, including bacteria, viruses and fungi, that live on mucosal surfaces, predominantly the skin and digestive tract. Microbes evolved billions of years prior to the development of modern Homo sapiens 200,000 years ago; we have always existed with their ubiquitous presence. Despite this, the first microbe was not visualized until…
SAN FRANCISCO—To unravel how out-of-control inflammation begins in rheumatoid arthritis and other diseases, one target for immunologists is the macrophage. Researchers discussed macrophage activation and other key drivers of inflammation at the 2015 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting on Nov. 7. How macrophages behave when recognizing damage-associated molecular pathways (DAMPs) tells us more about why some inflammation doesn’t…
SAN FRANCISCO—What factors help determine whether or not inflammation resolves, leading to healing, or becomes chronic, leading to disease and tissue destruction? A number of important cells, including toll-like receptors, mast cells, anti-citrullinated protein antibodies, complement and interferon, all play their own role in this process. By understanding how they act in innate and adaptive…
SAN FRANCISCO—Early in his career, Daniel Kastner, MD, PhD, scientific director at the National Human Genome Research Institute, saw a 24-year-old patient with a lifelong history of recurrent fever and severe episodes of arthritis. A colleague told him it was most likely familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). There was little then known about its mechanisms, and…
SAN FRANCISCO—Penetrating the dense extracellular matrix of cartilage is a challenge for administering osteoarthritis drugs, but an answer might lie in the matrix itself—in particular, its electrical charge, researchers reported at the 2015 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting. Electrical Affinity Investigators at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have found—at least in vitro and in animals—that delivering drugs…
SAN FRANCISCO—The discovery of a promising new target for the treatment of osteoporosis has a beginning to the story that, when it comes to scientific breakthroughs, rings familiar: It started with a disappointment. Researchers in the lab of Laurie H. Glimcher, MD, the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medical College—were in search…
On Nov. 19, 2015, the European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) recommended granting marketing authorization for SB4, an etanercept biosimilar product that will be called Benepali.1 On Jan. 16, 2016, EMA granted marketing authorization in the European Union for Benepali to be used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic…
Transitions in medical care can be high-risk periods due to the loss of continuity in care and worsening of medical conditions. Approximately one-quarter of the estimated 18 million adolescents aged 18–21 years in the U.S. have chronic conditions, including rheumatic diseases. Interventions in rheumatology practice can improve transition processes. Transition-readiness assessment tools and transition-satisfaction scales are available for use in rheumatology transition processes…
During pro-inflammatory stimulation, a recent study found HIF1α—not Myc—is required for the regulation of glycolysis in macrophages. Researchers examined macrophages and the distinct transcriptional programs engaged in response to mitogenic and pro-inflammatory stimulation…
For rheumatologists, research is important, but some clinical trials may not be worth collaborating on. In a recent interview, Hermine Brunner, MD, MSc, MBA, FACR, outlined important considerations to make when deciding to participate in a clinical trial to ensure a good fit…