The Arthritis Foundation recently came out with its list of the top 10 arthritis events for the year 2007. This series will focus on those events.

#4: Identification of RA Susceptibility Genes STAT4 and TRAF1-C5

Genetic researchers have been able to perform evaluations of variations in DNA. One of the areas of research that has advanced is the study of single nucleotide polymorphisms, or SNP (pronounced “snip”). These advances have allowed evaluations to be performed in a fraction of the time it used to take.

As a result of this researchers have exploded their ability to link genetic variants with disease susceptibility. Relationships between a variant and a disease used to take years to identify, but now can be accomplished in just days.

In 2007, Dr. Peter K Gregersen of the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research in Manhasset, N.Y., along with a substantial international tem, announced that the discovered 2 genes that are linked to an increased risk for development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This brings to 5 the total number of genes with links to RA.

These 2 genes, important in both RA and lupus, are known as STAT4 and TRAF1-C5. Having 2 copies of STAT4 was associated with a doubling of the risk for lupus and a 60% increase in risk for rheumatoid arthritis. TRAF1-C5 are actually 2 genes that are very close to each other on chromosome 9 but it is not yet know which of these genes is linked to the increased risk. However, it is know that having a variant at this location on chromosome 9 was linked to a 35% increase in risk for RA.

Read more in our post on Another Genetic Link to Rheumatoid Arthritis