Fascinating concept and hypothesis. treating AS and not going after the cytokines.

Could we imagine trying to target a specific
pathogenic IL-17-producing cell population – for
example, using imatinib to deplete c-kit-positive mast
cells and innate lymphoid cells – rather than the cytokines they produce in order to leave the protective IL-17
production untouched [11]? It is mainly in the context of
selective therapeutic targeting that the work of Appel and
colleagues set a first, but crucial, step in characterisation
of the phenotype, developmental and transcriptional
requirements, and function of innate IL-17-producing
cells in SpA.

Source: (it is a PDF)

http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/ar3351.pdf

another blurb about Mast cells and their posible involvement in AS.

Very cool line of research

http://ard.bmj.com/content/70/Suppl_2/A54.3.abstract

WOW

C kit Mast cell inflammation continued for SpA patients despite TNF treatments

http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/acrmeeting/abstract.asp?MeetingID=774&id=90096

what a fascinating line of research

interesting stuff, thanks

mast cells seem to be key players in the gut as well as the joints -
"mast cells are involved in the inflammatory reaction to intestinal pathogens and mast cell products released during degranulation may be the cause of intestinal damage due to infection...Ketotifen, a potent mast cell stabilizer, has been used to control asthma allergy but has also been shown to effectively protect against enteritis. In a rat model of clostridium toxin disease, ketotifen prevents intestinal damage...Importantly, ketotifen leads to improvement or remission in human patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease...Together, these studies suggest that mast cells contribute to intestinal disease because of their sensitivity to bacterial products and ability to release potent inflammatory mediators, suggesting a potential therapeutic target for bacterial enteritis in combination with antibiotics. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1934547/

"The effective modulation of experimental colitis by ketotifen, which is used in several parts of the world as an anti-asthmatic drug, justifies conducting a clinical trial to maintain remission in IBD patients. Unfortunately, drug companies are not interested in ketotifen, which is no longer under patent, and therefore, so far, it has been impossible to get sponsorship for such a trial" - http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=vWJ7r...ibd&f=false

Wow is right Drizz. More on the innate immune system again. This sounds like a promising line of research.

"Understanding molecular mechanisms behind these
early innate immune responses will be the key to
designing rational therapies targeting these important
inflammatory pathways."

I sure do wish i could understand at least half of what this all means.I do appreciate the post,but i am not that literate when it comes to all the scientific terms.I dont mean to offend anyone though

Just saying

John

the thought is that these Mast cells are responsible for the symptoms of AS. They may have been triggered due to an infection, extreme allergy attack, or trauma. A few of these cancer drugs kill these mast cells and, in theory, would put AS into remission as long as we avoid a trigger again that recreates the mast cells.

That is how I read it anyway. Some speculate that we get AS due to these triggers and then our bodies, due to genetics, are unable to clear the mast cells or the infection on our own like most people do. We may need drugs to help us clear the mast cells or hidden infections to put AS into remission.

now that is a lot of speculation but that is where I think they are trying to go with this new line of research. I am intrigued.