Scientists find why women are more susceptible to arthritis
"This groundbreaking study brought together scientists from around the world and involved the use of DNA samples from more than 27,000 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and healthy controls," said lead researcher Professor Jane Worthington.
"As a result of our findings, we now know that genetic variations at over 45 regions of the genome determine susceptibility to this form of arthritis," Worthington said.
"We observed remarkable similarities with genetic markers associated with other autoimmune diseases. Our future work will focus on understanding how the simple genetic changes alter normal biological processes and lead to disease. Ultimately, this will help us to develop novel therapies and improved targeting of existing drugs," Worthington said.
"This is the first time that a genetic association has been established between rheumatoid arthritis and the X chromosome. This could provide a useful clue in helping us to understand why rheumatoid arthritis is three times more likely to occur in women," Professor Alan Silman, medical director of Arthritis Research UK, said.
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