Faulty DNA found to 'cause arthritis'

DNA that is linked to an increased chance of developing rheumatoid arthritis has been identified by scientists. The discovery of faulty areas of DNA could help in the development of a cure for the debilitating illness, reports the BBC.

A total of 42 faulty areas of DNA have been identified that are linked to arthritis. This discovery was made by comparing the DNA of people that suffer from rheumatoid arthritis to those that don't, in the largest genetic study that has ever been carried out.

Published in the journal 'Nature', the study looked at almost 30,000 patients' DNA to assess whether there were any common factors among those that suffer from rheumatoid arthritis.

Professor Robert Plenge of Harvard Medical School and lead researcher on the study, said: “What this offers in the future is an opportunity to use genetics to discover new medicines for complex diseases like rheumatoid arthritis to treat or even cure the disease.”   

The researchers found that a drug that is already in use could help to treat the symptoms resulting from one area of faulty DNA. A particular part of arthritis sufferers' DNA created a weakness, which could be counteracted by the existing drug. 

While some scientists do not think that effective treatments can be derived from "silencing" the areas of DNA that are faulty - known as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), Professor Plenge said the new research shows it can work.

“It offers tremendous potential. This approach could be used to identify drug targets for complex diseases, not just rheumatoid arthritis, but diabetes, Alzheimer's and coronary heart disease,” he said.

It was found that patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis had the same SNPs as patients suffering from certain types of blood cancer. Professor Jane Worthington, director for genetics in Manchester, told the BBC that this discovery could mean that drugs used for the treatment of these cancers could also prove beneficial for patients with arthritis. 

This could lead to the retargeting of existing drug treatments, which have already been granted approval for use on humans.