A study was conducted at the University of Michigan to attempt to understand how identical twins can be so different when it comes to the development of genetic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis. This implies that other factors beyond the genetic code play a role in the development of genetic disease.
The advantage of studying identical twins is that their initial genetic information is the same. Therefore, differences in gene expression are due to environmental influences, which can cause random genetic mutation, or affect how DNA is packaged. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that damages joints, causing pain, lose of movement and bone deformities. The disease only develops in both twins 15% of the time. Scientists compared gene expression patterns of 11 pairs of monozygotic twins who shared the same egg and were genetically identical, but only one twin of the pair had rheumatoid arthritis. The study found that twins with rheumatoid arthritis had three over expressed genes compared to the twin without the disease. These three genes produced a protein that destroys other necessary proteins triggering the disease. The researchers believe that these genes are over expressed because they were susceptible to oxidative stress, which affects how cells repair themselves. However, there is only a small chance oxidative stress will trigger the disease, which is why most of the time only one twin develops rheumatoid arthritis.
This discovery and further research could lead to new developments in treating disease in the future. Further study could identify new treatment targets, which leads to the development of more effective drugs. Specific therapies could be designed to treat people who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis based on their individual genetic makeup.
Identical Twins Identical Problems, Science Daily, 1 July 2007, viewed 24 May 2009. [http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2007/0711-identical_twins_identical_problems.htm]
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