Articles tagged with Scleroderma
The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) has established a national family registry for scleroderma research. The registry will study families with one or multiple cases of the disease to identify genetic factors, environmental triggers, and susceptibility genes.
Jefferson scientists discover that blocking a protein affects collagen gene expression in both normal and scleroderma cells, offering new hope for treating the disease. The findings suggest that therapeutic compounds may be developed to inhibit this pathway and reduce collagen production.
Researchers found that long-term anticoagulant use doesn't reduce venous thromboembolism or death after knee or hip surgery. A new study shows promise in treating scleroderma with recombinant human relaxin, reducing skin thickening and improving mobility.
Fetal cells may be linked to an immune system reaction in women with systemic sclerosis, a form of scleroderma. The study found that 46% of women with the condition had male DNA in their blood and skin biopsies.
Researchers found that women with scleroderma have higher levels of non-self fetal cells circulating in their blood decades after pregnancy, which may indirectly dysregulate the immune system. The study's findings raise new questions about the nature of autoimmune diseases and their relationship to chimerism.
The University of Texas-Houston has established a Specialized Center of Research (SCOR) in scleroderma, a chronic disease with no known effective treatment or prevention. The center will conduct investigations into the genetic and environmental factors that affect susceptibility to the disease.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine have identified unique molecular footprints on the biochemical trail leading the immune system to attack its own tissues in scleroderma. Exposure to toxic oxygen products causes tissue molecules to break apart, exposing hidden parts that trigger an immune response.