Scientists have successfully tested a new gene therapy approach to treating pain and other symptoms linked to rheumatoid arthritis. They took an adeno-associated virus--a standard delivery tool in gene therapy--to transport the mu-opioid receptor gene to the joints of afflicted mice. Those receptors facilitate the entry of the body's natural painkillers into cells and the more of them a patient has around affected joints the more responsive they are to the natural approach. Dr. Stephanos Kyrkanides of the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York said that the method eased the pain in the mice and also treated the pathology. The researchers used the actual human gene in the study, leading them to believe that there is a high likelihood of success when the same approach is tried on humans.
- read the report on the gene therapy work from Scientific American
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