Th17细胞在类风湿关节炎发病机制中的作用研究进展

类风湿关节炎(rheumatoid arthritis,RA)是临床常见炎症性自身免疫疾病,以早期进行性关节滑膜炎症为主要临床特征,晚期则多以关节软骨破坏及骨侵蚀为主要病理特征。RA病因复杂,病理机制至今未明,发病率高,5年期致残率高。Th17细胞作为CD4+T细胞的亚群之一,其分泌的IL-17、IL-21等促炎性细胞因子,在RA关节滑膜炎症和关节软骨破坏及骨侵蚀等多个病理环节均发挥重要作用。基于此,本文对近年来Th17细胞参与RA关节滑膜炎症和关节软骨破坏及骨侵蚀病程的相关研究文献进行综述和讨论,以期为RA发病机制研究提供新思路,为以Th17细胞为作用靶点的创新药物开发提供参考。

Research advances of roles of Th17 cells in pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis(RA)is a common immune-mediated inflammatory autoimmunity disease.In the early stage of RA,progressive joint synovial chronic inflammation is the main clinical feature,and in the later period,RA has led to articular cartilage destruction and bone erosion eventually.The etiology of RA remains elusive,and its pathogenesis involves complex immune and inflammatory pathways.The morbidity and 5-year disability rate of RA are both higher than those of other diseases.Th17 cells,one of subsets of CD4+T cells,secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-17 and IL-21,which play an important role in many pathological processes such as synovial inflammation of RA joints,articular cartilage destruction and bone erosion effect.In order to provide new ideas for investigation of pathological mechanism of RA,and innovative drug development targeting Th17 cells,we herein summarized and reviewed the literatures of the role of Th17 cells in pathogenesis of RA.