APPA: A Useful Drug Against Arthritis?
- icshealthsciencejournal
- Jun 15, 2020
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 17, 2020
APPA: A Useful Drug Against Arthritis?
Written By: Nayada Deevisetpunt
June 14, 2020
It has been very clear that the network of cells and signaling molecules in our body’s immune system is of much importance to our survival, especially during times like this, when we are facing the COVID-19 pandemic. Our immune system would have to maintain a balance; if the system tips over and becomes overactive, then it can be very harmful towards the body. Some diseases due to an overambitious immune system include inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, and some types of arthritis, or the swelling and tenderness of one or more joints.
In the recently published journal Inflammopharmacology, researchers from the University of Liverpool discovered that a new trial drug for osteoarthritis could keep the immune system in check and at the same time ensure that all the protective functions are still complete. This project is actually a collaboration with the pharmaceutical company AKL Research & Development, in which the findings could actually allow the use of drugs for more treatments concerning rheumatoid arthritis or other diseases caused by inflammatory processes.
The study placed their focus on the functions of neutrophils, the most common type of white blood cell in our body that act as the first layer of defense within the immune system. After the body encounters a pathogen, neutrophils are dispatched to the site of infection and will destroy the pathogen. Apart from this, neutrophils also produce cytokines, or signaling molecules that would “call” other immune cells to fight the infection. Despite their effectiveness, neutrophils could actually be harmful; these cells could become hyperactive and thus release an excess amount of cytokines, even at times when an infection is not present. Due to the releasing of too many cytokines, inflammatory reactions harmful to the body’s tissues could be triggered. This could be fatal, since it could damage the circulatory system, resulting in an organ failure.
The goal for this drug would be to prevent detrimental activity of the immune system while maintaining its ability to fight off infection. Professor Edwards and his team tested a drug called APPA on the functioning of neutrophils. In their study, the team separated blood cells from healthy volunteers and treated them with APPA. The result showed that APPA successfully lessened the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), a set of signaling molecules that can cause inflammation, and did not affect neutrophils’ ability to defend the body against infection. Not only this, but researchers are also considering the idea that APPA could have much broader applications. As Professor Moots, professor of rheumatology at the University of Liverpool, says, “Our results suggest a prime role for APPA in helping safely modify aggressive immune response, not only in the arthritis that I treat every day but even, potentially, in COVID-19.”
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