Novel Biomarkers: Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Programmed Cell Death Protein 1 (PD-1) is a protein found on the surface of T cells, which are crucial for the immune system’s ability to recognise and eliminate infected or damaged cells, including cancer cells.

PD-1 inhibits T cell activity to prevent excessive immune responses which can be damaging. A soluble form of PD-1 can be measured in the blood and is associated with various autoimmune diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, cancers, and chronic infections.

Autoimmune Diseases

Higher levels of PD-1 have been linked to conditions like rheumatoid arthritis. T cells are key players in the development of rheumatoid arthritis, increased expression of PD-1 may suppress PD-1 inhibition of T Cells, leading to prolonged T Cell activity and disease progression. Due to its role in regulating T cell activity, the PD-1 pathway is a potential target for rheumatoid arthritis therapy.

PD-1 may also be involved in the immune dysfunction associated with other autoimmune diseases such as lupus, myasthenia gravis, and systemic sclerosis.

Other Applications

• Cancer: PD-1 levels are higher in cancers such as liver cancer, lung cancer, and pancreatic cancer. Monitoring PD-1 can reflect tumour burden and help in evaluating treatment response. The PD-1 pathway is an attractive target for cancer treatment as blocking the interaction of PD-1 may stop PD-1 mediated inhibition of T Cell activation allowing T cells to target and destroy tumour cells.
• Infection: Increased PD-1 levels are found in chronic infections like hepatitis B and HIV, levels showed correlation with viral load.

Biochip Technology

Randox biochip technology enables precise measurement of PD-1, providing valuable insights into immune regulation and disease progression.

Biomarkers:

PD-1