Molecular targets in immune-mediated diseases: focus on rheumatoid arthritis

There are a large number of diseases involving inappropriate activation of the immune system. This review focuses on one such disease, rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Over recent years there has been a dramatic shift in the treatment of RA, in which biological agents, such as monoclonal antibodies and immuno-fusion proteins, have offered the potential to enhance or replace conventional immunosuppressive therapies. This review covers some of the novel biological molecules currently under investigation as potential therapeutic targets in RA. In addition, it covers the genomic and proteomic strategies being used to identify potential new molecular targets for future therapies. Selectively blocking the immune response, in a combination approach blocking not only inflammation but also the adaptive memory response and tissue destruction, holds great promise for the treatment of RA and many other immune-mediated diseases.