Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder, characterized by a persistent immune cell infiltrate in the synovium accompanied by high levels of inflammatory mediators and synovial hyperplasia. Despite significant therapeutic advances, RA remains an important unmet medical need. To discover potential new genes controlling inflammation and apoptosis in synoviocytes, genes induced...

The production and function of cytokines are highly regulated. One mechanism is the balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. As interleukin (IL)-17A and IL-25 share the IL-17RA receptor chain, we hypothesize that IL-25 acts as an IL-17A receptor antagonist and limits its pro-inflammatory effects. The production and expression kinetics of IL-25 and its receptor chains IL-17RA and RB...

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) development is strongly associated with cigarette smoke exposure, which activates the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) as a trigger for Th17 inflammatory pathways. We previously demonstrated that exposure to hydroquinone (HQ), one of major compounds tar, aggravates symptomatology in rats. However, mechanisms related HQ-related RA still remain elusive. Cell viability, cy...

The role of Interleukin(IL)-6 in the pathogenesis of joint and systemic inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (s-JIA) has been clearly demonstrated. However, the mechanisms by which IL-6 contributes to the pathogenesis are not completely understood. This study investigates whether IL-6 affects, alone or upon toll like receptor (TLR) ligand stimulat...

Objectives. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by the chronic inflammation of the synovial joints resulting from the hyperplasia of synovial cells and the infiltration of lymphocytes, macrophages and plasma cells. Currently, the aetiology of RA is not known, and new treatment modalities are needed to prevent the disease progression. Apoptosis induction of synovial cells through the use ...

Calcineurin is a calcium-activated phosphatase to mediate lymphocyte activation and neuron signaling, but its role in inflammatory arthritis remains largely unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that calcineurin was highly expressed in the lining layer, infiltrating leukocytes, and endothelial cells of rheumatoid synovium. The basal expression levels of calcineurin were higher in the cultured ...