title: Interferon-beta for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis?
abstract: IFN-beta treatment is emerging as a potentially effective form of therapy in various immune-mediated conditions. The present review addresses the possible role of IFN-beta in immune-mediated diseases such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Several placebo-controlled trials are discussed, as are the available immunological data that are relevant to this field. Review of these data provides evidence that IFN-beta has some beneficial therapeutic effect in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and might also have antirheumatic potential. This notion is supported by recent studies showing a critical role for IFN-beta in bone homeostasis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van Holten
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Plater-Zyberk
authors.forename: Paul P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Tak
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017321:Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000502:physiology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016899:Interferon-beta