After reading the review article “Reactive Oxygen Species and Superoxide Dismutases: Role in Joint Diseases”, I was able to grasp a better understanding of some additional ways arthritis comes to be. This of course is due to an increased production of reactive oxygen species, such as the superoxide anions. The authors explained that an over production of ROS damages the endothelial cells and the extracellular matrix of various joint tissues.
One out of the many statements that caught my eye was that more reactive and aggressive ROS exists, such as the hydroxyl radicals. These come to be when the superoxide anion interacts with free iron or copper ions. Normally, this would not be an issue for healthy adults, but with people who have Hemochromatosis, which is an over absorption of iron ions from the digestive track, arthritis and several other complications arise. Primary Hemochromatosis is due to a genetic defect that affects nearly 1 out of every 200 to 300 Americans. With the addition of an increased risk of getting arthritis, the liver absorbs much of the excess iron causing it to swell and sometimes leads to liver cancer or even failure. This is obviously the worst-case scenario, but many of the other symptoms are more easily manageable and can be fix with simple diet and life style changes.
I just found it interesting how the pathology of arthritis can be caused by so many different factors and I am curious to see what more we learn about this disease in the coming years.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001368/
I really enjoyed this article, and it got me thinking about the circumstances in which arthritis occurs in addition to other inflammatory conditions. I was really interested by the paper’s discussion on gout, as I’ve never thought of gout as a contributor to degenerative joint disease and inflammatory response. I was curious to see how common the occurrence of gout is in individuals suffering from autoimmune disorders (or disorders in which high levels of ROS occur), as I know of several individuals suffering from Parkinson’s disease who also have sporadic bouts of gout.
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting this article, it was really interesting! I was surprised from reading the article that hemochromatosis the most common genetic disorder in the U.S. Also that it does not only build up in the liver but extra iron can build up in other areas of the body tissue such as the thyroid, pancreas, heart and joints. The treatment doesn’t sound so pleasant either, ½ liter of blood removed every week for several months to years! I’m also fascinated how the pathology of arthritis can be cause by a plethora of factors and the how many different types of arthritis there are.
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