Oxford scientists awarded major grant from arthritis charity
SCIENTISTS in Oxford have been awarded a major grant of £126,888 by leading medical research charity the Arthritis Research Campaign for work into the little known rheumatic disease ankylosing spondylitis.
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a progressive disease which affects around 115,000 people in the UK, mainly young men. It leads to inflammation and severe stiffness of the spine and other joints, causing pain, tiredness and discomfort.
The three-year ARC grant has been awarded to Dr Paul Bowness, MRC Clinician Scientist, and Professor Andrew McMichael of the Nuffield Department of Medicine and MRC Human Immunology at John Radcliffe Hospital.
Their team will investigate the role of the antigen HLA B27 in AS. Around 8% of the UK population who inherit the antigen are much more likely than others to suffer from AS and related rheumatic diseases.
"Almost all people who suffer from AS carry the HLA B27 antigen on their cells," explained Dr Bowness. "However, so do more than one in 20 of the population, most of whom never suffer from arthritis. We have recently discovered that HLA B27 can sometimes form an unusual shape by pairing with itself.
"In this project we will look to see if this occurs only in people with arthritis. We will also look at the reasons for it happening, and how it might lead to disease. Hopefully it will open the way for new treatments for AS."
Oxford is a leading centre for research work in AS. The ARC is already providing funding of almost £1m to two geneticists, Dr Paul Wordsworth and Dr Matthew Brown, to help them establish the genetic basis for the disease.
