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Tissue engineering to repair diseased or injured cartilage could be revolutionized by the development of a novel cell-homing strategy that overcomes several barriers inherent in the use of existing techniques.
Genome-wide association studies of human diseases have uncovered large numbers of common genetic variants with small effect sizes; however, rare genetic variants with large effect sizes might have greater relevance with respect to disease heritability. The identification and characterization of rare variants—such as those recently discovered in SIAE—is, therefore, likely to be a major endeavor in the field in the coming years.
Macrophages have important roles in the induction and resolution of inflammation, but the intracellular pathways from inflammatory signals to pain response remain unclear. A recent study demonstrates that the P2X4 receptor mediates inflammatory pain by inducing formation of the potent lipid mediator prostaglandin E2.
The link between glucocorticoid use and bone loss, with increased fracture risk, necessitates care in prescribing these potent anti-inflammatory drugs. What impact will new ACR recommendations—incorporating new clinical trial data and modern methodology for guideline development—have on ensuring that patients receive proper management to reduce the negative impact of glucocorticoids on bone health?
Advances in genotyping technology, such as genome-wide association studies, have identified many robust genetic associations with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in various ethnic groups. In this Review, the authors describe established and novel SLE-associated loci and discuss how genetic risk factors that are shared between autoimmune diseases can help to identify common disease pathways.
Glucocorticoids are widely used anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs for rheumatoid arthritis. This Review outlines the indications for and benefits of glucocorticoids as co-therapy with other DMARDs, describes the adverse effects that are predominantly associated with high-dose or long-term therapy, and considers the impact of patients' and doctors' perceptions of glucocorticoid therapy on prescribing and adherence to treatment.
Psoriasis is only observed in humans; however, characteristics of the disease, such as prominent epidermal hyperplasia and a distinct inflammatory infiltrate, have been studied in mouse models of psoriasis. In this Review, the authors highlight the mouse models that have contributed to the discovery of novel disease-relevant pathways.
Dupuytren disease is a common disorder but its cause remains unknown and the treatment of its symptoms is often unsatisfactory. This article provides an overview of the current understanding of the genetics, pathogenesis and proposed etiology of this disease, as well as a discussion of current and emerging therapies.
Antibodies to citrullinated enolase define a subset of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) associated with smoking and DR4 alleles. In this Perspectives article, the authors review epidemiological and genetic links between periodontitis (a disease in whichPorphyromonas gingivalis is a major pathogen) and RA and propose that that the association might be causal, due to molecular mimicry between epitopes on host and P. gingivaliscitrullinated enolases driving the autoimmune response.
