Mechanisms of bone-healing in rheumatoid arthritis using NaF-PET

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K19578
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Collagenous pathology/Allergology
• Research Institution: Yokohama City University
• Principal Investigator: Minegishi Kaoru 横浜市立大学, 附属市民総合医療センター, 助教 (40616877)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 骨修復 / NaF-PET / 骨破壊

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We assessed rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients using FDG-PET and NaF-PET/CT. NaF and FDG signals were mainly located in the bone and the surrounding soft tissues, respectively. Co-existing PET signals of FDG and NaF in the affected joints suggest that inflammation is coupled with upregulated bone turnover, leading to joint destruction. Furthermore, bone repair was more frequently occurred in early-stage RA patients who have achieved sustained good clinical response.
On the other hand, reducing inflammation and bone destraction by heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) induction was shown in Bach1-deficient mice of collagen-induced arthritis model. Inhibition of Bach1 activity may be worthy of consideration as a target for treatment of inflammatory bone loss in RA.

Free Research Field

膠原病・アレルギー内科学