Another one of those "I did not know that" moments.
Scientists — and many new mothers — have long known that pregnancy relieves rheumatoid arthritis. What hasn't been entirely clear is why.
Now researchers at Seattle's Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have delved deeper toward an answer, for the first time identifying that DNA from dead cells naturally sloughing off the growing fetuses probably results in the pregnant women getting relief from their arthritis.
"The bottom line is we could see a specific effect on the arthritis," said Dr. Lee Nelson, an expert on pregnancy and immunology, and leader of the recent study reported in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism.
"If we can understand this better, we could possibly work toward specific treatments
for autoimmune diseases."
(...)
The Hutchinson scientists speculate that the fetal DNA acts as a sort of decoy: The mother's immune system focuses on the fetal DNA instead of the mother's synovial membrane cells. Immune cells decide the fetal DNA is OK, so they back off their attack on the mother's joints.
Read More
Check out the Big Blue Wave Message Board
