Volume 13 Issue 1, January 2017

Although an imbalance between proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines has been implicated in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the identification of specific cytokines regulating RA pathophysiology is still challenging. Modelling cytokine signalling networks and evaluating associated pathway activities might facilitate the effective identification of cytokines for treatment and prevention of RA.

New criteria have been proposed to enable a rapid diagnosis of cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes (CAPS) in children and adults. Will these diagnostic criteria advance the management of autoinflammatory syndromes, or will physicians now think of zebras rather than horses when they hear hoofbeats?

The transition of HIV and AIDS from a death sentence to a chronic disease has not come without problems. Rheumatologists need to be aware of the full spectrum of rheumatic diseases seen in patients with HIV and AIDS, and know the best strategies for disease management.

The 2016 ACR–EULAR classification criteria for primary Sjögren syndrome, which are intended to facilitate uniform classification of patients for enrolment in clinical studies, combine features of previous criteria sets. These new criteria are a step in the right direction, but further refinement would increase their utility.

Genetic association studies have uncovered more than 100 genetic loci related to susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis. This Review discusses the latest insights into rheumatoid arthritis pathogenesis gained from genetic studies and their application for drug discovery and development.

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is vital for cellular function and differentiation in every organ system. In this Review, the authors discuss how cells respond to ER stress and outline the ways that this stress can contribute towards rheumatic diseases.

Cronstein and Sitkovsky discuss the metabolic changes that regulate adenosine levels in inflamed tissue, the receptors that mediate the effects of adenosine and their role in rheumatic diseases, as well as the potential role for therapeutic targeting of adenosine and its receptors.

In this Review, the authors discuss the use of mass spectrometry imaging in rheumatology. This technique enables the identification and spatial localization of molecules in tissues, with potential applications in both clinical and research settings.