Scientists at the University of Liverpool claim they have found a way of turning off one of the most painful aspects of rheumatoid arthritis.

Joints become swollen and sore, partly due to the body sending white blood cells, or neutrophils, to the joints to combat the disease.

But neutrophils release a vast amount of toxins into the joints that can cause joint damage.

Scientists say they can be suppressed, without removing their advantages.

Professor Robert Moots, Director of Research and Development at the University of Liverpool’s Clinical Science Centre, and Professor Steven Edwards at the School of Biological Sciences claim to have identified a way of switching off the harmful function of neutrophils without affecting their ability to protect the body from infection.

The team discovered that neutrophils stop secreting toxins that attack the joints when a specific molecule on their surface is blocked by using certain antibodies.

Professor Moots said: “This is a most exciting discovery because for the first time, we believe there is an opportunity to suppress disease in rheumatoid arthritis without the terrible cost of side effects, which is a major problem with all the other anti-rheumatic drugs.”