Clinical Relevance of Cytokines and Inflammatory Molecules in Rheumatoid Vasculitis

Title: Clinical Relevance of Cytokines and Inflammatory Molecules in Rheumatoid Vasculitis

Volume: 3 Issue: 4

Author(s): Tsuyoshi Kasama, Mizuho Matsunawa, Kuninobu Wakabayashi and Yusuke Miwa

Affiliation:

Keywords: Rheumatoid vasculitis, cytokines, chemokines, adhesion molecules, CX3CL1, endothelium

Abstract: Rheumatoid vasculitis (RV) is an uncommon but severe complication of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) that can cause skin disorders, such as rash, cutaneous ulcerations and gangrene, neuropathy, eye symptoms, and systemic inflammation. Although the molecular mechanisms underlying RV in RA are unclear, it is well known that a chronic imbalance in the expression of chemokines and proinflammatory cytokines is important for orchestrating inflammatory responses in RA patients, and similar dysregulation of cytokines and other inflammatory molecules, such as adhesion molecules, has been suggested to occur in patients with RV. Recently, we reported elevated levels of the soluble form of CX3CL1, which is a newly described membrane-bound CX3C chemokine, in the serum of patients with RV. In the present review, we discuss the involvement of cytokines and inflammatory molecules in the pathogenesis of RV and evaluate their significance as useful laboratory parameters of active vasculitis disease.

Cite this article as:

Kasama Tsuyoshi, Matsunawa Mizuho, Wakabayashi Kuninobu and Miwa Yusuke, Clinical Relevance of Cytokines and Inflammatory Molecules in Rheumatoid Vasculitis, Current Rheumatology Reviews 2007; 3 (4) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/157339707782408919

DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/157339707782408919	Print ISSN 1573-3971
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher	Online ISSN 1875-6360