title: Of mice and men: how animal models advance our understanding of T-cell function in RA.
abstract: The involvement of autoreactive T cells in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as well as in autoimmune animal models of arthritis has been well established; however, unanswered questions, such as the role of joint-homing T cells, remain. Animal models of arthritis are superb experimental tools in demonstrating how T cells trigger joint inflammation, and thus can help to further our knowledge of disease mechanisms and potential therapies. In this Review, we discuss the similarities and differences in T-cell subsets and functions between RA and mouse arthritis models. For example, various T-cell subsets are involved in both human and mouse arthritis, but differences might exist in the cytokine regulation and plasticity of these cells. With regard to joint-homing T cells, an abundance of synovial T cells is present in humans compared with mice. On the other hand, local expansion of type 17 T-helper (TH17) cells is observed in some animal models, but not in RA. Finally, whereas T-cell depletion therapy essentially failed in RA, antibody targeting of T cells can work, at least preventatively, in most arthritis models. Clearly, additional human and animal studies are needed to fill the gap in our understanding of the specific contribution of T-cell subsets to arthritis in mice and men.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Institute of Medicine, University of Debrecen Medical and Health Science Centre, 98 Nagyerdei Street, Debrecen H-4032, Hungary.
authors.forename: Tamás
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kobezda
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Institute of Medicine, University of Debrecen Medical and Health Science Centre, 98 Nagyerdei Street, Debrecen H-4032, Hungary.
authors.forename: Sheida
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghassemi-Nejad
authors.affiliation: Section of Molecular Medicine, Departments of Orthopedic Surgery, Biochemistry and Rheumatology, Rush University Medical Centre, 1735 West Harrison Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
authors.forename: Katalin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mikecz
authors.affiliation: Section of Molecular Medicine, Departments of Orthopedic Surgery, Biochemistry and Rheumatology, Rush University Medical Centre, 1735 West Harrison Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
authors.forename: Tibor T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Glant
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Institute of Medicine, University of Debrecen Medical and Health Science Centre, 98 Nagyerdei Street, Debrecen H-4032, Hungary.
authors.forename: Zoltán
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Szekanecz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001685:Biological Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016207:Cytokines / Q000502:physiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D001685:Biological Factors; D016207:Cytokines