NEW DELHI– New research suggests that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) begins silently years before patients experience symptoms, offering hope for earlier detection and prevention of the debilitating autoimmune disease.
Published in Science Translational Medicine, the seven-year study shows that the early stages of RA involve a body-wide inflammatory response, not just localized joint inflammation. This “hidden” phase mirrors what is later seen in patients with fully developed RA.
“Overall, we hope this study raises awareness that rheumatoid arthritis begins much earlier than previously thought and that it enables researchers to make data-driven decisions on strategies to disrupt disease development,” said Mark Gillespie, assistant investigator at the Allen Institute in the U.S.
Researchers followed individuals carrying ACPA antibodies — known markers for increased RA risk — and found new warning signs of the disease, including widespread inflammation, immune cell dysfunction, and cellular reprogramming.
The study revealed that B cells, normally responsible for producing protective antibodies, shifted into a pro-inflammatory state. Certain T helper cells, especially a subset resembling Tfh17 cells, expanded dramatically. Even “naive” T cells, which had not yet encountered pathogens, showed epigenetic changes.
Monocytes, a type of white blood cell, were also producing high levels of inflammatory molecules. These cells closely resembled macrophages later found in inflamed joint tissue, suggesting that the disease process primes the body to attack the joints long before symptoms emerge.
By identifying these biomarkers and immune signatures, scientists hope doctors can better predict which at-risk patients are most likely to develop RA. Early intervention, they believe, could halt the disease before it causes lasting pain and joint damage. (Source: IANS)
