Deficiency of Il-1ra may predispose to development of arthritis

Excerpt

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic disease which commonly results in joint damage and consequent disability. Various pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a are overexpressed in the joints of RA patients. IL-1 is thought to be a major mediator of inflammation as it exerts a number of biological activities by binding the IL-1 type I receptor. IL-1ra is a naturally occurring inhibitor of IL-1 which competes for the receptor. Previous studies have suggested that IL-1ra production may be relatively deficient or inadequate in RA patients. IL-1ra gene polymorphism has not, as yet, been reported in RA in humans. To study the pathophysiological roles of IL-1ra in regulating the inflammatory response. …