Gene therapy for arthritis

Gene therapy using a novel virus encoding a TNF inhibitor injected into the inflamed joints may be a safe and feasible approach for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Some of the most successful treatments for rheumatoid arthritis work by blocking an inflammatory factor called tumour necrosis factor or TNF. It has been found that gene transfer can also deliver this treatment.

To assess this treatment in animal experiments, researchers at the University of Amsterdam used a modified virus (using rAAV5) encoding the gene (TNFRI-Ig) for the receptor of human TNF. It was thought that once the gene was expressed, the product would in essence block the TNF activity that leads to inflammation.

The results showed that when the gene-carrying virus was injected into the joints of rats with induced arthritis, there was a significant reduction in paw swelling in treated animals. This tells us that intra-articular gene therapy may be a safe and feasible approach for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

This animal experiment promises that gene therapy could be used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.