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Does the microbiome play a causal role in spondyloarthritis?

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Abstract

The purpose of this study is to review the potential causal role of the microbiome in the pathogenesis of spondyloarthritis. The method used for the study is literature review. The microbiome plays a major role in educating the immune response. The microbiome is strongly implicated in inflammatory bowel disease which has clinical and genetic overlap with spondyloarthritis. The microbiome also plays a causal role in bowel and joint disease in HLA B27/human beta 2 microglobulin transgenic rats. The mechanism(s) by which HLA B27 could influence the microbiome is unknown but theories include an immune response gene selectivity, an effect on dendritic cell function, or a mucosal immunodeficiency. Bacteria are strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of spondyloarthritis. Studies to understand how HLA B27 affects bacterial ecosystems should be encouraged.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful for the financial support from the National Eye Institute (Grants EY 021733 and KO8EY022948), the Stan and Madelle Rosenfeld Family Trust, the William and Mary Bauman Foundation, and Research to Prevent Blindness. PL is funded by a Research to Prevent Blindness Career development award. MAB is funded by a National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia) Senior Principal Research Fellowship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Arthritis and Rheumatic Diseases and Department of Ophthalmology, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd. L467Ad, Portland, OR, 97239, USA

    James T. Rosenbaum, Phoebe Lin & Mark Asquith

  2. Legacy Devers Eye Institute, 1040 NW 22nd Ave, Portland, OR, 97210, USA

    James T. Rosenbaum

  3. The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Princess Alexandra Hospital, University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4102, Australia

    Mary-Ellen Costello, Tony J. Kenna & Matthew A. Brown

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  1. James T. Rosenbaum
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  2. Phoebe Lin
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Correspondence to James T. Rosenbaum.

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Rosenbaum, J.T., Lin, P., Asquith, M. et al. Does the microbiome play a causal role in spondyloarthritis?. Clin Rheumatol 33, 763–767 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-014-2664-5

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