title: Janus kinase inhibitors in autoimmune diseases.
abstract: Biological therapies directed at proinflammatory cytokines have irrevocably changed the landscape of treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other autoimmune diseases. With the advances in our knowledge in cytokine signalling, the question emerges whether targeting intracellular signalling might also be a safe and efficacious strategy. Janus kinases or Jaks are critical for a large family of cytokines and the first Jak inhibitors has been approved by the FDA. It is therefore timely to consider this new category of drugs and reflect on their potential roles, present and future, in the treatment of RA and related disorders.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Immunology and Inflammation Branch, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-1930, USA. osheajo@mail.nih.gov
authors.forename: John J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: O'Shea
authors.forename: Apostolos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kontzias
authors.forename: Kunihiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamaoka
authors.forename: Yoshiya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Arian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Laurence
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D053612:Janus Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D053612:Janus Kinases