New Research Paves the Way for Arthritis and Cancer Treatments

Scientists recently discovered through recent research that the development of some new medications may help create better and potentially safer treatments for arthritis.

Drugs such as Vioxx, diclofenac, ibuprofen and Celebrex work by blocking an enzyme known as COX-2 that's presence in blood vessels is held responsible for numerous side effects associated with the medications. New research carried out in mice suggests that COX-2 is largely absent from the major blood vessels and instead found in the brain, gut and kidney as well as the thymus gland in the chest.

Now that researchers have been able to pinpoint the areas of the body where these drugs are causing problems, they are hoping to develop new medications and treatments for patients with arthritis and cancer without so many of the harmful side effects.

Researchers from the Imperial College London note that arthritis drugs have long been associated with potentially fatal cardiovascular side-effects in patients. Health concerns led to the anti-inflammatory Vioxx that was withdrawn from the market back in 2004 and this week medical regulators have adviced some patients to stop using the painkiller diclofenac, as well.

Background information from the study shows that researchers have often believed that COX-2 prevented the formation of blood clots, a drug that inhibited the enzyme and was thought to lead to an increased risk of clotting.

Lead study author Professor Jane Mitchell of Imperial's Faculty of Medicine believes that by further studying the active ingredients in the medication, they can more easily understand the possibilities associated with developing better treatments.

"This study does not provide all the answers, but once we understand exactly how COX-2 affects the cardiovascular system we will be in a position to design new therapies," she said, according to a press release. "This will not be easy but all the tools are available and we could be looking at new leads within five to ten years."

The researchers used mice whose COX-2 gene had been replaced with a gene called luciferase, which gives fireflies their glow. This allowed researchers to create detailed images of the distribution of COX-2 throughout the body.

Co-author of the study and a professor at the University of Manchester, Anna Nicolaou, added that researchers are hopeful that this study can add to the development of new research and treatments in years to come.

"This study is the first to use such sophisticated techniques to determine the locations of COX-2 within the body," she said, via the release. "The use of mass spectrometry and genetically modified mice in this way represents a significant advance in the field."

More information regarding this study can be found in the journal PLUS ONE.