Mapping disease genes to immune cells .
A valuable analytical tool developed by RIKEN researchers could help to reveal when multiple genes are all working through a common pathway in specific immune cells that underpin complex diseases such as diabetes or heart disease1.
To demonstrate the tool’s effectiveness, the scientists applied it to DNA datasets from rheumatoid arthritis sufferers and confirmed the importance of immune dysregulation through a cell-signaling protein called tumor necrosis factor (TNF). Anti-TNF drugs are some of the best-selling medicines in the world—a fact that Kazuyoshi Ishigaki of the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences says confirms the “robustness of our pipeline.” As such, he adds, “It’s reasonable to expect that our pipeline can be applied to other diseases.” RIKEN
http://www.riken.jp/en/research/rikenresearch/highlights/20170017/