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김혜성 학술연구교수, 관절염 새로운 염증 기전 밝혀내
Research Prof. Kim Hye Sung discovers new inflammatory mechanism of rheumarthritis Potential cure for rheumatoid arthritis expected to be developed

Kim Hye Sung, a research professor in Jeju National University’s College of Medicine recently published as a lead author an article about a new inflammation controlling mechanism of rheumatoid arthritis in a world-renowned international journal named “eLife” (IF 8.140).

Before Kim’s research, no mechanism had been clarified on how the soluble Fas ligand (FasL) drives antibody-induced arthritis. The researcher’s latest study discovered that FasL uniquely interacts with DR5/TRAIL-R2, a tumor necrosis factor receptor.

Specifically, Kim clarified using a mouse model that the mechanism of FasL binding to DR5 induces the secretion of chemokine CX3XL1, which drives the influx of inflammatory cells into animal joints. She also reported that the occurrence of arthritis is curbed when an antibody suppressing FasL or CX3CR1 is injected.

The research findings are expected to develop a potential cure targeting the increasing cases of rheumatoid arthritis amid the ongoing aging of global population.