Volume 10 Issue 7, July 2014

The FDA has given approval for the use of apremilast in adults with active psoriatic arthritis—welcome news for patients and the rheumatology community. This commentary reviews some of the evidence for the use of apremilast and suggests some direction for future research.

Degradable screws and plates for bone surgery have been produced from silk protein. The idea is to eliminate the need to take the implant out when the bone has healed. Will they provide sufficient strength, and will they degrade without causing inflammation? And why take implants out in the first place?

Tissue engineers use mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and scaffolds for the regenerative treatment of injured or degenerated musculoskeletal tissues. As MSC interactions with state-of-the-art natural biological scaffolds are complex, the choice of a specific candidate for clinical applications based on interactions with MSCs in vitro, or even in vivo, is challenging.

Fibrosis is characterized by excessive accumulation of connective tissue components in organs or tissues and is a critical, and potentially lethal, component of systemic sclerosis (SSc). Here, the authors describe the pathological role of fibrosis in the development of SSc, outlining the crucial triggers of fibrosis (including endothelium, aberrant immune responses and endoplasmic reticulum stress, among others).

The validity of research into risk factors for the development of rheumatic conditions and their sequelae can be threatened by selection bias. In this Review, the authors outline potentially major selection bias issues in rheumatic disease research and suggest approaches which could be used to help limit the impact of these biases on future research.

The molecular mechanisms that underlie the development of osteoarthritis (OA) remain poorly understood. Here, Fang and Beier summarize the various mouse models of OA (including surgical, mechanical loading, genetic, spontaneous, high-fat diet and/or obesity, and chemically-induced models) that can be used in OA research to further understanding of disease development. The currently available tools for assessment of these models are also discussed.

The sialic-acid-binding immunoglobulin-type lectins (Siglecs) CD22 and Siglec–G (or the human orthologue Siglec–10) are expressed on B-cell surfaces. Here, the authors detail the involvement of CD22 and Siglec–G in maintaining B-cell tolerance, and their contribution to the prevention of autoimmune diseases. In addition, the authors describe therapeutic targeting of CD22, with antibodies and synthetic CD22 ligands, in autoimmune disease.

The diverse family of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) comprises transmembrane receptors that are relevant to a range of physiological processes. Here, the authors provide an overview of GPCRs and their roles in the pathophysiology of rheumatic diseases, and discuss the potential of therapeutic approaches targeting GPCRs in these conditions.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is an important cause of disability worldwide, and its impact is growing rapidly. In this Opinion article, the authors draw attention to the current and projected burden of OA for individuals and for health-care systems, and call for a shift in the approach to the disease.