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Current osteoarthritis therapies cannot sufficiently target cartilage and guarantee a biological response owing to limitations in the delivery methods. This Perspectives article discusses how electrostatic interactions can be utilized to increase drug penetration and retention in cartilage to provide sustained intra-tissue delivery.
Metabolomics and genomics approaches have produced huge amounts of data from patient samples, creating many research opportunities. In this Review, the authors discuss how these datasets can be brought together to enrich our knowledge of rheumatic diseases.
Transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) is a pleiotropic cytokine that is important in the regulation of joint homeostasis and disease. In this Review, the changing role of TGFβ in normal joint homeostasis, ageing and osteoarthritis is discussed.
Innate lymphoid cells are important players in the innate immune response, and might also contribute to inflammatory diseases. This Review discusses what is known about these cells and how they might be targeted in future therapies for these diseases.
The PRECISION trial demonstrates that celecoxib is noninferior to ibuprofen and naproxen in regard to cardiovascular safety. Do these findings mark the end of the debate on this issue, or do aspects of the trial mean the implications for clinical practice are not clear-cut?
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.
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.
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.
Positioned at the crossroads of TNF, IL-1 and Toll-like receptor signalling cascades and cytokine-driven chromatin remodelling, TAK1 is emerging as a new therapeutic target in rheumatoid arthritis.
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.