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Antimalarial drugs have been used for many years to treat rheumatic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. This Viewpoint will discuss the recent advances in understanding the mechanisms of action of hydroxychloroquine and the possibility of establishing toll-like receptor signalling molecules as targets for new therapies.
Many forms of functional decline are preventable, treatable or manageable, but a screening tool that can identify frail or vulnerable patients is much needed. This Review describes the methods currently available for non-specialist evaluation of patients at risk of functional decline, including behavioral, interview and questionnaire assessments.
Neutrophils are powerful mediators of tissue inflammation, and the balance between neutrophil survival and clearance is crucial to the resolution of inflammation. The cytokine granulocyte colony-stimulating factor is an important regulator of neutrophil production and survival. This Review discusses the roles of neutrophils and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in chronic inflammatory diseases.
The creation of specific immune tolerance would allow autoimmune disease to be reversed without the need for nonspecific and potentially harmful immunosuppressive therapy. Important progress in research into immune tolerance is summarized in this Review, and the potential use of this technique in immunotherapy of autoimmune disease is discussed.
Pattern recognition molecules belonging to the innate immune response participate in the clearance of apoptotic cells. Among these molecules are the collectins C1q and mannose-binding lectin, and the pentraxins C-reactive protein, serum amyloid P component, and pentraxin 3. This Review discusses the prevalence, actions and clinical significance of these molecules in autoimmune conditions.