The contributions of key cytokines in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis, including TNF, IL-1, JAK-dependent cytokines, GM-CSF and chemokines, can be considered not only individually, but also in the context of an overall 'RA tissue response'. In this Opinion article, the authors provide an overview of the roles of cytokines in the innate, adaptive and stromal immune responses, and discuss how systematic analysis of cytokine pathways could yield new insights into disease pathogenesis and facilitate stratification for therapy.
- Iain B. McInnes
- Christopher D. Buckley
- John D. Isaacs