title: Targeting lymphocyte activation to treat rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: The introduction of targeted treatments has radically changed the management of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Abatacept is among these new treatments emerging from recent insights into joint immunopathology. Abatacept blocks the interaction between antigen-presenting cells and T-cells, thereby diminishing T-cell activation and possibly improving overall cell regulation. In RA patients, abatacept is effective in decreasing the arthritis, pain, disability, fatigue, and radiological joint damage. Abatacept provides lasting remissions or low levels of disease activity and therefore constitutes a valuable addition to the current therapeutic armamentarium for RA, which is hoped to make a full remission an attainable goal in the overall population of RA patients.
authors.affiliation: University of Paris 13, Li2P, EA4222, Bobigny, France. g.falgarone@avc.aphp.fr
authors.forename: Géraldine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Falgarone
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Semerano
authors.forename: Sandrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rullé
authors.forename: Marie-Christophe
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Boissier
mesh_terms: D000069594:Abatacept; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000502:physiology; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D018796:Immunoconjugates / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D018796:Immunoconjugates; D000069594:Abatacept