title: Animal models in rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Two new models for the study of rheumatoid arthritis have been established. SCID (severe combined immunodeficient) mice implanted with human synovial tissues and human HLA-DR4-CD4 transgenic mice represent novel and important approaches to the use of animal models in pathogenetic studies. New studies of streptococcal cell wall arthritis in rats demonstrated that beta 1 integrin-mediated cell-matrix interactions are involved in the induction and perpetuation of inflammatory synovitis and that systemic administration of interleukin-4 selectively suppresses established synovitis, presumably by effects on monocyte function. The importance of nitric oxide as a mediator of synovial inflammation was confirmed in the adjuvant-induced model of rheumatoid arthritis. In the collagen-induced arthritis model, interesting new data have implicated gamma delta T cells in the pathogenesis of arthritis, and the antineoplastic drug taxol was shown to have anti-inflammatory effects.
authors.affiliation: University of Missouri, Columbia, USA.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Houri
authors.forename: F X
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: O'Sullivan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D016207:Cytokines / Q000502:physiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D008822:Mice, Transgenic / Q000235:genetics; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000633:toxicity; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013585:Synovitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D017239:Paclitaxel