title: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) as a therapeutic target in rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has an important role in the hyperplastic growth of tumor. Similar to tumor growth, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synovium is hyperplastic, invasive, and expresses EGFR and its ligands. Activation of EGFR signaling is responsible for synovial fibroblast proliferation in RA. Furthermore, in addition to its role in proliferation, EGFR and its ligands can induce cytokine production of synovial fibroblasts during the pathogenesis of RA. Agents that target EGFR have yielded promising results in animal experiments involving RA, pharmacologic modulations targeting EGFR, or its ligands may give rise to new therapeutic approaches for RA. In this review article, we will discuss the biological features of EGFR and summarize recent advances regarding the role of EGFR in the pathogenesis and treatment of RA.
authors.affiliation: The Third Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214041, China. bjjq88@163.com
authors.forename: Feng-Lai
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wei-Guo
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Jun-Ming
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Dong-Lin
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Rui-Sheng
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D066246:ErbB Receptors