A large study reveals that gout is a chronic disease whose major cause is genetics, not the lifestyle of the person who suffers from it.
- Gout is a rheumatism caused by deposits of microscopic crystals of uric acid in the joints.
- New Zealand researchers have identified new genes and immune pathways, such as interleukin-6, that promote the onset of this chronic disease.
- They hope that better treatments will be developed thanks to the new targets discovered or suggest using drugs already used to relieve diseases linked to the immune system.
Fever, chills, red, hot and swollen big toe… These symptoms indicate a gout attack. This chronic disease is rheumatism caused by deposits of microscopic uric acid crystals in the joints. If this pathology, which mainly affects men, can appear with age, due to a diet rich in purines (alcohol, sugary drinks, red meat, etc.) or even a reduction in the renal elimination of uric acid by alteration of the renal filter, it can also occur in cases of genetic predisposition.
140 new genes and immune pathways linked to gout have been identified
In a recent study, published in the journal Nature Geneticsresearchers from the University of Otago (New Zealand) assured that the root cause of gout was genetics, and not the lifestyle of patients. To reach this conclusion, they examined DNA data from 2.6 million people from around the world, including 120,295 adults with prevalent gout. By analyzing this genetic information, the authors found that genetics play an important role in why some people do or do not have rheumatic fever.
“We detected 377 loci and 410 genetically independent signals (149 previously unreported loci in urate, the term used to describe all salts or crystals found within uric acid, and gout),” can we read in the results. Using a prioritization scheme, the team identified candidate genes in the inflammatory process of gout, including genes involved in epigenetic remodeling, cellular osmolarity and regulation of NLRP3 inflammasome activity (NOD -like receptor protein 3).
Gout: improving patient treatment thanks to these new discovered targets
“We hope that over time, better and more accessible treatments will become available thanks to the new targets we have identified,” declared Tony Merrimanlead author of the research. One option, scientists say, could be repurposing a drug used to treat a range of other immune-related diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis. “For example, tocilizumab targets an immune signal receptor, interleukin-6, which the study identified as a new gout gene.”
