The weird connection between RA and atherosclerosis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is classified as an autoimmune disorder — a group of conditions where the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues.

Inflammation is a characteristic of RA and a host of other diseases. One of those other diseases is heart disease, which people with RA are more susceptible to.

All this inflammation may be why people with RA are also twice as likely to develop blood vessel disease, which can lead to serious complications, as well as an increased risk of premature death.

One such blood vessel disease is atherosclerosis, also known as hardening of the arteries, which occurs when sticky fatty plaques build up on the walls of the arteries, restricting blood flow. These blockages can also break free and cause a heart attack or stroke.

Researchers want to understand why RA patients are at a higher risk of these health problems so they can develop better treatments. One recent discovery they’ve made could mean there’s good news on that horizon…

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The magic of molecule RvT4

To better understand the causes of blood vessel disease in people with RA, a team of UK researchers explored the role of a group of molecules called 13-series resolvins (RvTs). Studies in arthritis have found that levels of one of these molecules, RvT4, are significantly reduced, which indicates a higher degree of blood vessel disease.

In the study, the researchers treated arthritis mice with RvT4. This resulted in reduced blood vessel inflammation through the reprogramming of macrophages, a group of white blood cells accumulated in the diseased vessels, to release stored lipids.

The team observed these lipids were preventing the macrophages from doing their usual tasks of clearing dead cells and reducing inflammation in the blood vessels. Once they released these lipids, the macrophages were able to move and work more effectively to reduce the causes of atherosclerosis.

To put it simply, treatment with RvT4 could enhance the body’s natural defenses against atherosclerosis.

“The study is important because it identifies for the first time the loss of RvT4 production as a potential new cause of blood vessel inflammation in the context of arthritis, offering a mechanistic explanation on the cause of this important disease in RA patients,” says Jesmond Dalli, a professor at Queen Mary University of London.

Often, RA patients also have metabolic dysfunction, which is thought to make vascular disease worse. So, the researchers gave RvT4 to mice engineered to develop characteristics of metabolic dysfunction, advanced atherosclerosis and arthritis. And this led to an overall decrease in lipoprotein-associated cholesterol and an increase in the ratio of HDL cholesterol to total cholesterol.

This is a breakthrough in understanding the processes involved in atherosclerosis in RA patients and could lead to better treatments for people who have RA and are at higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

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Getting resolvins naturally

As exciting as this research is, it will be years before its medical potential is realized. Until research into this molecule discovery results in new treatments, you may find it helpful to add omega-3 fatty acids to your diet.

One study found resolvins are formed from omega-3s and bind to a receptor called GPR32. This activates the receptor’s ability to counteract inflammation in blood vessels essentially switching off the inflammation and stimulating tissue repair and healing.

Omega-3s are primarily found in oily fish, like mackerel, sardines, salmon, herring and oysters. If you don’t or can’t eat seafood, you can also get omega-3s from flax seeds, chia seeds, walnuts and soybeans.

Unfortunately, you’d have to eat large amounts of these foods to get the recommended amount of omega-3s.

But supplementing is safe and easy, especially if it contains krill oil, which has a structure that makes it easier for cells to absorb, which also equates to little or no “fish burps.” Also, krill oil tends to be cleaner, lacking the high mercury levels and other contaminants often found in fish oil.

Sources:

Study finds new treatment to reverse inflammation and arterial blockages in rheumatoid arthritis — ScienceDaily

Resolvin T4 enhances macrophage cholesterol efflux to reduce vascular disease — Nature Communications

Rheumatoid arthritis — World Health Organization

Rheumatoid Arthritis — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention