Rheumatoid Arthritis Stem Cell Therapy Development

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease that primarily affects the lining of synovial joints. Modern drug therapies are still the mainstay of treatment for RA. However, a large proportion of people with RA do not respond effectively to current therapies, and new treatments are urgently needed. CD BioSciences has launched a development service for rheumatoid arthritis stem cell therapies, dedicated to advancing the treatment of this disease.

Overview of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Women are more likely than men to have rheumatoid arthritis, and it mostly affects the elderly.  The progression of the disease can be effectively controlled with early detection and treatment. Extra-articular manifestations like keratitis, pulmonary granulomas, pericarditis or pleuritis, small vessel vasculitis, and other vague extra-articular symptoms are possible with poorly controlled or severe disease. Important progress has been made in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with stem cells. However, the mechanism of action of this method is complex and needs further study.

Pathogenesis of Rheumatoid Arthritis

According to the presence or absence of anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPAs), there are two main subtypes of RA. Citrullination is a post-translational modification that is carried out by the calcium-dependent enzyme peptidyl-arginine-deiminase (PAD), which converts a positively charged arginine into a polar but neutral citrulline. According to reports, RA with ACPA-negative subset exhibits different genetic association patterns and immune cell responses to citrullinated antigens than RA with ACPA-positive subset.

Pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (Qiang Guo. et al. 2018)

Triggering Stage: An abnormal antibody response to a variety of citrullinated proteins leads to ACPA. A combination of genetic and environmental factors has been linked to ACPA production. HLA-DR genes, particularly HLA-DR1 and HLA-DR4, contain the strongest genetic risk factor linked to ACPA-positive RA. One of the hallmarks of RA is the onset of self-protein citrullination, which leads to the production of autoantibodies against citrullinated peptides and can be brought on by the interaction of genes and environmental factors in the potential trigger sites, such as the gut, tongue, and lungs, among others.

Maturation Stage: At the site of secondary lymphoid tissues or bone marrow, this stage is started. Epitope spreading and a gradually rising ACPA titer can last for years during this stage before joint symptoms appear. The production of ACPA is a sign that immunological tolerance has been broken. Numerous MHC class II-dependent T cells would be activated as a result, assisting B cells in producing more ACPA. In RA, ACPA can cause pain, inflammation, and bone loss.

Targeting Stage: Synovitis develops in symmetrical small joints, which is a typical presentation of RA's involvement in joints. The external manifestation of synovial membrane inflammation after immune activation is joint swelling. By attaching to citrullinated Grp78 on the surface of monocytes and macrophages, ACPA can increase NF-kB activity and TNF-production. Monocyte and macrophage surface enolase stimulates the production of inflammatory mediators.

Fulminant Stage: Symptoms like proliferative synovial membrane, cartilage damage, and bone erosion may appear as the RA disease progresses. Additionally, several studies have shown that people with RA are more likely to experience cardiovascular problems and may be more likely to develop cancer.

Our Services

CD BioSciences offers rheumatoid arthritis stem cell therapy development services. Based on our professional laboratory team, we can contribute to the development of stem cell therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. Following is the workflow of our service:

As a pioneer in biotechnology, CD BioSciences has grown into one of the largest independent biotechnology companies in the world. CD BioSciences is committed to providing professional and efficient service to our customers around the world. If you are interested in our service, please contact us.

Reference

1. Qiang Guo. et al. (2018). Rheumatoid arthritis: pathological mechanisms and modern pharmacologic therapies. Bone Res. 6:15.