- An international research team identified a novel molecular pathway believed to cause gout and its progression to erosion of joint tissue.
- Researchers believe lubricin, a protein found in joint fluid, may serve as a novel therapeutic target for prevention and treatment of gout.
- Researchers made the discovery, in part, by studying a woman who had developed urate crystal deposits and joint erosion but did not show high urate levels in her blood.
Gout, a common form of inflammatory arthritis, can cause intense pain, swelling, and stiffness in the joints.
A torment on humanity since ancient times, gout typically affects one joint at a time, often the joint at the base of the big toe.
The condition impacts more than 3 million people in the United States, according to the American College of Rheumatology.
The affliction occurs more frequently in men, post-menopausal women, and people with kidney disease.
An international research team led by University of California San Diego School of Medicine, has identified a novel molecular pathway that causes gout and its progression to erosion of joint tissue.
The researchers published their
The body makes uric acid when it breaks down purines, which are found in the body, in meat, and in some beverages.
Hyperuricemia, an elevated level of uric acid in the blood, can lead to the development of crystals of uric acid forming within a joint, which causes inflammation.
Individuals with gout also often have high levels of uric acid in their
However, hyperuricemia doesn’t always cause gout.
One
“There are factors well beyond having a high serum rate to determine who gets gout, who doesn’t get gout,” Dr, Robert Terkeltaub, a professor at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, the section chief of rheumatology at the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare…
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