title: Animal models for arthritis: innovative tools for prevention and treatment.
abstract: The development of novel treatments for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) requires the interplay between clinical observations and studies in animal models. Given the complex molecular pathogenesis and highly heterogeneous clinical picture of RA, there is an urgent need to dissect its multifactorial nature and to propose new strategies for preventive, early and curative treatments. Research on animal models has generated new knowledge on RA pathophysiology and aetiology and has provided highly successful paradigms for innovative drug development. Recent focus has shifted towards the discovery of novel biomarkers, with emphasis on presymptomatic and emerging stages of human RA, and towards addressing the pathophysiological mechanisms and subsequent efficacy of interventions that underlie different disease variants. Shifts in the current paradigms underlying RA pathogenesis have also led to increased demand for new (including humanised) animal models. There is therefore an urgent need to integrate the knowledge on human and animal models with the ultimate goal of creating a comprehensive 'pathogenesis map' that will guide alignment of existing and new animal models to the subset of disease they mimic. This requires full and standardised characterisation of all models at the genotypic, phenotypic and biomarker level, exploiting recent technological developments in 'omics' profiling and computational biology as well as state of the art bioimaging. Efficient integration and dissemination of information and resources as well as outreach to the public will be necessary to manage the plethora of data accumulated and to increase community awareness and support for innovative animal model research in rheumatology.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Sciences Research Center Alexander Fleming,Institute of Immunology, Vari-Athens, Greece. g.kollias@fleming.gr
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kollias
authors.forename: Piyi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Papadaki
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Apparailly
authors.forename: Margriet J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Vervoordeldonk
authors.forename: Rikard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Holmdahl
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Baumans
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Desaintes
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Di Santo
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Distler
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Garside
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hegen
authors.forename: Tom W J
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Huizinga
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jüngel
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Klareskog
authors.forename: Iain
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: McInnes
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ragoussis
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schett
authors.forename: Bert 't
authors.initials: B'
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.forename: Paul P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Tak
authors.forename: Rene
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Toes
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: van den Berg
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wurst
authors.forename: Steffen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gay
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D055808:Drug Discovery / Q000379:methods; D035703:Therapies, Investigational / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents