Despite the relative novelty of the human microbiome as an area of study, a substantial body of evidence has accumulated addressing its potential involvement in the pathogenesis of rheumatic disease. This review article explores the available data in animal and human studies, focusing on the role of the intestinal microbiome in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and the spondyloarthritidies (SpA)…
Gut Microbes Activate T Cells Causing Autoimmune Eye Disease
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Commensal microbes in the gut can activate retina-specific T cells that go on to cause autoimmune uveitis in a mouse model, researchers report. “These findings allow us to understand the biological basis for the disease,” lead author of the study, Dr. Rachel Caspi from National Eye Institute at the NIH in Bethesda,…
Gene Mutation Could Cause Gut Microbe Changes that Lead to RA
A new study suggests that a small abnormality in an immunity gene can alter the gut flora in a way that induces development of rheumatoid arthritis.