Application of cellular gene therapy for rheumatoid arthritis

Application of cellular gene therapy for rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common autoimmune disease characterized by persistent inflammation of joints resulting in progressive destruction of cartilage and bone. Recently, biological agents that suppress the activities of proinflammatory cytokines have shown efficacy as antirheumatic drugs, but require frequent administration, and often result in systemic immune suppression. Thus, gene tr...

Gene therapy for rheumatoid arthritis?

Gene therapy for rheumatoid arthritis

Apoptosis as a target for gene therapy in rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by chronic inflammation of the synovial joints resulting from hyperplasia of synovial fibroblasts and infiltration of lymphocytes, macrophages and plasma cells, all of which manifest signs of activation. All these cells proliferate abnormally, invade bone and cartilage, produce an elevated amount of pro-inflammatory cytokines, metalloproteinases and tr...

Specific Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis

THE term 'specific' is used to describe the effects of drugs like gold and penicillamine in rheumatoid arthritis. This type of action is to be distinguished from the effects of 'nonspecific' or symptomatic therapy, for example with analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs. In rheumatoid arthritis, specific drugs act not only on pain and inflammatory manifestations like swelling and stiffness, but ...