GSE
Causes of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Causes
Inflammation and autoimmune activity
In RA, several cytokines are involved in almost all aspects
of joint inflammation and destruction - e.g. interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6,
IL-8, IL-12, IL-17, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferon-γ
(IFN-γ) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSFG), .
In particular, TNF-α and IL-6 are considered
to be pivotal cytokines in the development of RA.
What is initiating this uncontrolled inflammation?
• Bacteria
or virus. Research suggests a connection
to periodontal disease and smoking
• Repetitive over-use
of a joint;
• A so-called "leaky
gut". It is an almost universal
clinical observation that inflammation of the gut is frequently associated with
inflammation of the joints and vice versa, but the nature of this relationship remains
elusive.
Factors promoting "Leaky Gut"
i.e. Gut Permeability
• Poor gut microbiome.
A healthy gut needs a diverse population of good bacteria; lectin-tolerance
is very much tied into microbiome health;
• Use of NSAIDs
or other drugs
• Dietary
lectins . A study of 800 people
with autoimmune conditions, most with elevated TNF-α, went on diets that cut
out high-lectin-content foods for 6 months, after which those that complied with
the diet had normal TNF-α levels. Their diet
avoided grains, sprouted grains, pseudo-grains, legumes, soy, peanuts, cashews,
nightshade plants, melons, squashes, cow's milk products (from cows producing
casein A1 milk ), and grain- and/or bean-fed animal meat.
(Gundry &Steven, 2014)
Dietary substances, especially lectins, directly
or indirectly (by increasing pathogenic bacteria populations, especially with unhealthy
gut flora) inflame /damage villi lining the gut, allowing both lectins and pathogenic
bacteria to enter the bloodstream. In circulation, the immune system (IS) recognizes
them as antigens (foreign substances to be marked for destruction by antibodies).
Evidence suggests that dietary lectins interact with IS white blood cells to facilitate
the movement of both dietary and gut-derived pathogenic antigens into peripheral
tissues. Immune system complexes formed by antigen and antibodies trigger the IS
to release compounds to destroy them, and if deposited in joints of genetically
susceptible individuals, will also damage the surrounding joint tissue. These pathogenic
antigens may even interact directly with synovial tissues.
(Cordain et al, 2000)
More technically ...
"Despite the almost
universal clinical observation that inflammation of the gut is frequently
associated with inflammation of the joints and vice versa, the nature
of this relationship remains elusive. In the present review, we
provide evidence for how the interaction of dietary lectins with
enterocytes and lymphocytes may facilitate the translocation of
both dietary and gut-derived pathogenic antigens to peripheral tissues,
which in turn causes persistent peripheral antigenic stimulation.
In genetically susceptible individuals, this antigenic stimulation
may ultimately result in the expression of overt rheumatoid arthritis
(RA) via molecular mimicry, a process whereby foreign peptides,
similar in structure to endogenous peptides, may cause antibodies
or T-lymphocytes to cross-react with both foreign and endogenous
peptides and thereby break immunological tolerance. By eliminating
dietary elements, particularly lectins, which adversely influence
both enterocyte and lymphocyte structure and function, it is proposed
that the peripheral antigenic stimulus (both pathogenic and dietary)
will be reduced and thereby result in a diminution of disease symptoms
in certain patients with RA"
Stress
Researchers found a strong
connection between stress and the risk of developing RA. A meta-analysis
of 16 small studies published in Arthritis Research & Therapy found that stress
tends to make RA symptoms worse, that childhood trauma increases risk of rheumatic
diseases (a
2009 study
found that people who reported two or more traumatic childhood events - including
physical, emotional, or sexual abuse -- had twice the risk of rheumatic disease
compared with those who reported no childhood trauma), and that those with PTSD
have a higher risk of developing RA and other autoimmune disease.
(Hassett & Clauss, 2010) . Another
study found that stressful events often precede onset of RA.
Increased collagenase activity
Collagenase is an enzyme that breaks down collagen.
This would further cartilage
damage in a joint
References Hassett, A. L., & Clauw, D. J. (2010). The role of
stress i n rheumatic diseases. Arthritis research & therapy, 12(3),
123. doi:10.1186/ar3024
LInk
Gundry, Steven R,
Abstract P354 :Elevated Adiponectin And TNF-a Levels are Markers for Gluten and
Lectin Sensitivity, Circulation, 2014; 129:AP354
Loren Cordain, L. Toohey, M. J. Smith and M. S. Hickey, Modulation of immune function
by dietary lectins in rheumatoid arthritis, Brit. J of Nutr. (2000), 83, 207-217