title: New insights into the pathogenesis of giant cell arteritis and hopes for the clinic.
abstract: Giant cell arteritis is a complex immune-mediated disease that involves large blood vessels in individuals older than 50 years. Recent studies have confirmed a strong association of this form of vasculitis with the HLA region, particularly with HLA class II genes. However, other non-HLA loci, such as protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 22, may also account for the susceptibility to giant cell arteritis. In addition, genetic variants located in genes encoding proinflammatory cytokines seem to influence the phenotypic expression of the disease, including the risk of severe ischemic complications, the presence of polymyalgia rheumatica and the higher incidence of relapses observed in some patients. The identification of putative genetic markers of disease severity could have clear therapeutic implications, as it may allow us to identify patients who are potentially responders to specific treatments.
authors.affiliation: a 1 Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina 'López-Neyra', IPBLN-CSIC, PTS Granada, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: F David
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Carmona
authors.affiliation: a 1 Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina 'López-Neyra', IPBLN-CSIC, PTS Granada, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martín
authors.affiliation: b 2 Department of Rheumatology, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, IDIVAL, Santander, Spain.
authors.forename: Miguel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: González-Gay
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D013700:Giant Cell Arteritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D054596:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 22 / Q000235:genetics*; D012306:Risk
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006680:HLA Antigens; C516765:PTPN22 protein, human; D054596:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 22
keywords: IFN-γ; IL-6; giant cell arteritis; human leukocyte antigen; polymyalgia rheumatica; protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 22; relapses; temporal artery biopsy; vascular endothelial growth factor; visual ischemic complications