inflammation & autoimmunity

joint & tendon health

NFKBIE

The Role of an Inflammatory Protein Blocker in Rheumatoid Arthritis (NFKBIE)

Written by Shany Lahan, MS (Neuroscience) on November 13th, 2020

The NFKBIE gene helps block the actions of an inflammatory protein. How might variants of NFKBIE increase the risk of rheumatoid arthritis? Read more to find out.

Summary

NFKBIE encodes IkBe, a protein that can physically block the actions of the inflammatory protein NF-kB. Variants of NFKBIE may play a role in rheumatoid arthritis by decreasing production or activity of IkBe and consequently increasing NF-kB activity. Lifestyle, diet, and supplement modifications may counteract the effects of these variants by increasing IkBe production, while decreasing production or activity of NF-kB.

NFKBIE and Rheumatoid Arthritis

The NFKBIE gene codes for IkBe, a protein that can block the actions of NF-kB [R].

NF-kB may stimulate the production of inflammatory proteins, as well as promote the formation of antibodies that recognize the body’s own tissues (autoantibodies). In this manner, NF-kB may play a major role in the development of autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis [R, R, R, R].

Variants of NFKBIE have been associated with rheumatoid arthritis. These variants may decrease production or activity of IkBe, leading to NF-kB-mediated production of inflammatory proteins and formation of autoantibodies [R, R].

Your NFKBIE Results for Rheumatoid Arthritis

SNP Table

variant	genotype	frequency	risk allele
rs2233434
rs2233424

Primary SNP:

NFKBIE rs2233434 [R]

‘G’ = Increased risk of rheumatoid arthritis
‘A’ = Not associated with rheumatoid arthritis

Other Important SNP:

NFKBIE rs2233424 [R]

‘T’ = Increased risk of rheumatoid arthritis
‘C’ = Not associated with rheumatoid arthritis

Recommendations

Lifestyle

Sun Exposure

The sun is the best source of vitamin D. Vitamin D has been reported to lower NF-kB activity in a number of studies [R, R, R].

However, it’s important to limit time spent in the sun — long periods of sun exposure have actually been reported to activate NF-kB! This effect was attributed to radiation from the sun’s UV rays [R].

Many clinical trials have observed that rheumatoid arthritis patients may be deficient in vitamin D, in comparison to their healthy counterparts. In rheumatoid arthritis patients with vitamin D deficiency, vitamin D supplementation lowered disease activity and associated symptoms, such as pain [R, R, R, R, R].

Note that these results were inconsistent and varied across trials, with some trials demonstrating no changes in disease activity after vitamin D supplementation. Therefore, more studies need to be conducted to support the potential benefits of vitamin D in rheumatoid arthritis [R, R].

The sun is the best source of vitamin D. Vitamin D may help manage rheumatoid arthritis by lowering NF-kB activity.

Diet

Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet is a popular anti-inflammatory diet that may reduce swelling and pain in arthritic joints [R].

According to one study of 51 patients, those eating a Mediterranean diet had significantly higher vitality scores (a measurement of energy, quality of life, and general function) than those eating a typical western diet [R].

The anti-inflammatory effect of the Mediterranean diet may be due to its high content of olive oil. In fact, people whose diets include a lot of olive oil are significantly less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than those who use other types of cooking oils [R, R].

Olive oil contains the compound pentanal. Pentanal was found to increase production of IkBe in human-derived cells. Similarly, the Mediterranean diet was found to significantly decrease levels of NF-kB and other inflammatory markers in elderly individuals, in a randomized controlled trial [R, R].

The Mediterranean diet may help manage rheumatoid arthritis by increasing production of IkBe and decreasing production of NF-kB.

Supplements

Fish Oil (Omega-3)

According to numerous studies, omega-3 fatty acids (abundant in fish oil) may be able to suppress NF-kB [R, R].

Multiple trials have attested to the benefits of omega-3 in lowering inflammation and ameliorating rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. In a clinical study of rheumatoid arthritis patients, olive oil was shown to enhance the effects of fish oil with regards to a number of clinical parameters, such as joint pain [R, R, R, R].

Similarly, a meta-analysis of 17 trials found that fish oil may reduce inflammatory joint pain from rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory conditions [R].

Fish oil (omega-3) may reduce symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis by suppressing NF-kB.

For a comprehensive list of ways to inhibit NF-kB, click here.

Shany Lahan

MS (Neuroscience)

Shany received her MSc in Neuroscience from Western University.

Prior to joining SelfDecode, Shany conducted research related to Alzheimer’s disease, and taught science to undergraduate students. She believes that research should be accessible to everyone, regardless of scientific background. Shany joined SelfDecode with a mission to help others optimize their health and wellbeing – as well as help them understand the science behind it all.

Disclaimer

The information on this website has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration or any other official medical body. This information is presented for educational purposes only, and may not be used to diagnose or treat any illness or disease.

Also keep in mind that the “Risk Score” presented in this post is based only on a select number of SNPs, and therefore only represents a small portion of your total risk as an individual. Furthermore, these analyses are based primarily on associational studies, which do not necessarily imply causation. Finally, many other (non-genetic) factors can also play a significant role in the development of a disease or health condition — therefore, carrying any of the risk-associated genotypes discussed in this post does not necessarily mean you are at increased risk of developing a major health condition.

Always consult your doctor before acting on any information or recommendations discussed in this post — especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have been officially diagnosed with a medical condition.

More inflammation & autoimmunity blogs

How to Combat Histamine Intolerance Through Genetics (DAO) Are You Genetically Vulnerable to High Brain Histamine, Migraines, or ADHD? (HNMT) How to Tell if You’re Lectin Sensitive Using Your Genetic Data (CNR1) Are You Sensitive to Lectins? (MTHFR) Fight Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Brain Fog (PARP1) Is This Gene Causing Your Autoimmune Problems? (PTPN22) Are You Genetically Susceptible to Post-Treatment Lyme? (ABCB1) A Key Genetic Player in Autoimmunity (HLA-B) Is This Inflammation Gene Reducing Your Intelligence? (TNFSF9) Can You Manage Allergies and Asthma by Balancing Methylation? (MTHFR)

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Summary NFKBIE and Rheumatoid Arthritis Your NFKBIE Results for Rheumatoid Arthritis

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