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Novel Therapeutic Strategies and Targets in Rheumatoid Arthritis

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Bioactives and Nutraceuticals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2027 | Viewed by 358

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Interests: rheumatoid arthritis; immunotherapy; CD6

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Interests: nanomedicine; biomaterials; cancer immunotherapy; vaccines; microbiome

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The scope of this Special Issue covers the interaction between exogenous agents or subtances and the cells and molecules that drive tissue inflammation and damage in the joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and/or the manifestations of RA in other organs. Bioactive components may be environmental factors that affect the risk of RA, alterations in host microbiomes or diet that influence the onset and course of RA, or the properties of novel therapeutic vehicles such as nanoparticles in the treatment of RA. This topic includes human RA and its animal models.

To present and review advances in RA research that could influence future treatment and outcomes of RA.

Potential topics

  • Environmental control of epigenetic alterations in RA.
  • Environmental factors in pulmonary aspects of RA.
  • Which microbiome(s) controls RA?
  • Diet and RA.
  • Novel inflammatory mediators and their receptors in RA joints.
  • Natural substances as new anti-inflammatory drugs or DMARDs for the treatment of RA.
  • Targeting the RA joint using nanoparticles.

Suggestions for additional topics are welcome.

Prof. Dr. David Fox
Prof. Dr. James J. Moon
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

  • RA
  • synovium
  • FLS
  • synovial fluid
  • microbiome
  • autoimmunity
  • DMARD
  • joint inflammation
  • joint damage
  • nanoparticle

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

20 pages, 3458 KB  
Review
Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells in Inflammatory Arthritis
by Daniel R. McDougle, James J. Moon and David A. Fox
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(12), 5365; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27125365 (registering DOI) - 14 Jun 2026
Abstract
Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are a heterogeneous group of immature myeloid cell populations with potent immunosuppressive activity. MDSCs accumulate during states of chronic inflammation in response to inflammatory cytokine signaling that triggers emergency myelopoiesis in the bone marrow. In rheumatoid arthritis and experimental [...] Read more.
Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are a heterogeneous group of immature myeloid cell populations with potent immunosuppressive activity. MDSCs accumulate during states of chronic inflammation in response to inflammatory cytokine signaling that triggers emergency myelopoiesis in the bone marrow. In rheumatoid arthritis and experimental models of inflammatory arthritis, MDSCs were initially thought to serve as a regulatory checkpoint that limits excessive inflammation. However, subsequent studies have shown that these cells can either alleviate or worsen arthritis depending on immunophenotype, disease timing, microenvironment, cytokines/chemokines, and transcriptional states. Taken together, the seemingly paradoxical roles of MDSCs in inflammatory arthritis likely reflect a highly plastic and context-dependent myeloid continuum. This review examines current knowledge of MDSCs in inflammatory arthritis, highlighting the conditions that direct their functional diversity and the factors that determine whether they alleviate or exacerbate disease. We also discuss emerging therapeutic strategies and emerging concepts to better understand these immune cell populations in the context of inflammatory arthritis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Therapeutic Strategies and Targets in Rheumatoid Arthritis)
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