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Inhalant and Additional Mucosal-Related Environmental Risks for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Brent A Luedders1, Ted R Mikuls1, Geoffrey M Thiele1
1Division of Rheumatology & Immunology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 986270 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-6270, USA; VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System, 4101 Woolworth Avenue, Omaha, NE 68105, USA.
Rheumatic Diseases Clinics of North America
|November 4, 2022
Summary
Environmental factors and genetic susceptibility contribute to rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Lung and mucosal exposures, including oral and gastrointestinal sites, are linked to RA risk and autoimmunity development.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Rheumatology
- Environmental Health
Background:
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) arises from genetic predisposition and environmental triggers.
- The lungs are implicated as a potential primary site for developing RA-related autoimmunity.
- Dysregulation in oral and gastrointestinal mucosal immunity and microbiota may also contribute to RA pathogenesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review epidemiologic evidence connecting environmental exposures at mucosal sites to rheumatoid arthritis risk.
- To explore the role of inhalant exposures and lung diseases in RA development.
- To examine the contribution of oral and gastrointestinal mucosal dysregulation to RA.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing epidemiologic studies and scientific literature.
- Analysis of associations between environmental insults and RA risk.
- Examination of immune and microbial factors at mucosal sites.
Main Results:
- Inhalant exposures and lung diseases are associated with increased RA risk.
- Immune and microbial imbalances in the oral and gastrointestinal mucosa are linked to RA development.
- Epidemiologic data support the role of mucosal exposures in determining RA risk.
Conclusions:
- Environmental factors, particularly those affecting mucosal surfaces like the lungs, play a critical role in rheumatoid arthritis development.
- Understanding these environmental links is crucial for RA prevention and treatment strategies.
- Further research into mucosal immunity and environmental interactions in RA is warranted.
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