Volume 13 Issue 2, February 2017

Regenerative medicine can be viewed as 'tissue engineering V2.0'. Discoveries and novel applications of technology advanced the field considerably in 2016, with the use of new biomaterials, stem cells and biologically active molecules.

Gene expression profiling has been used for the first time to stratify patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) into potentially useful clinical groups, and also to further understand differences in the cell-specificity and nature of the interferon signature typical of SLE and other autoimmune diseases.

Several strands of new research indicate that skin-specific adipocyte progenitor cells regulate myofibroblasts and skin fibrosis in scleroderma.

Rheumatoid arthritis is associated with an expansion of certain gut commensals, although the underlying mechanism remains unknown. In 2016, studies using experimental models of arthritis have begun to unravel the links between the gut microbiota, T follicular helper cells and arthritis.

In 2016, there have been several major scientific achievements related to myositis, including the discovery of a novel autoantibody and the relationship between autoantibodies and distinct clinical phenotypes. Advances in the way clinical trials are conducted have also led to breakthroughs in treatment strategies.

Inhibitors of β-nerve growth factor (NGF) have impressive effects in reducing musculoskeletal pain, but have also been associated with adverse events of unclear aetiology. Several studies in the past year have sought to clarify the relative benefits and risks of anti-NGF treatment.

How and why systemic autoimmunity targets the joints in rheumatoid arthritis remains a major unanswered question. In this Review, Catrina et al. discuss the evidence for a driving role for osteoclasts in the homing of autoimmunity to the joints.

The authors discuss the preclinical evidence that provides insights into the mechanisms, pathways and mediators that set in motion resolution of inflammation. The time is ripe to establish if, and how, this biology can inform therapeutic innovation in the context of chronic inflammatory diseases.

Leptin is involved in regulating bone mass, basal metabolism and insulin secretion, among other processes. This Review explores the role of leptin in the immune system and metabolism, with particular emphasis on its effect on autoimmune and inflammatory rheumatic diseases.

Tendon disorders are common and confer a large socioeconomic burden. This Review discusses the role of inflammatory mechanisms in tendon homeostasis and resolution of tendon damage, which are crucial to consider in developing novel therapeutics for tendinopathies.

The goal of a development programme for a biosimilar product is to prove its biosimilarity to the reference product, rather than independently establish its safety and efficacy. In this Perspectives article, the authors describe the US FDA's rigorous approach to the assessment of biosimilarity for proposed biosimilar therapeutic proteins, including those intended to treat rheumatologic conditions.