Newly-Discovered Molecule and Arthritis Treatment

Newfound protein holds hope for those with inflammation…Researchers at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research in New York have discovered that inflammation could be treated by targeting a molecule called the double-stranded RNA dependent protein kinase (PKR). These findings, which may eventually lead to treatments for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), are published in the July issue of Nature.

“Inflammation is necessary for maintaining good health, but when unchecked, it can play a part in a wide array of human diseases, such as arthritis, colitis and sepsis, ” said Scott Somers, Ph.D., in the July 8, 2012 news release. Dr. Somers oversees inflammation grants at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which partly supported the study. “By identifying a protein that controls a single aspect of inflammation, this work offers a new way to target the harmful effects of chronic inflammation while preserving the body’s overall protective mechanisms.”

“We are particularly interested in this discovery because it provides a new way to make novel drugs to treat obesity, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, atherosclerosis and a host of other diseases, ” noted Kevin J. Tracey, M.D., president of the Feinstein Institute, and lead investigator of the study. The study was funded by the NIH—the National Institute of General Medical Sciences and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

Ben Lu, an author of the study and an investigator at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research told OTW,

Based on this exciting discovery, we will try to find direct or indirect PKR inhibitors to treat inflammatory diseases, including RA. Our goal for the next year is to develop safe and effective therapeutics to target PKR. We hope this study can benefit patients with RA in the near future.