title: Functions of interleukin-34 and its emerging association with rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by chronic, synovial inflammation affecting multiple joints, finally leading to extra-articular lesions for which limited effective treatment options are currently available. Interleukin-34 (IL-34), recently discovered as the second colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF-1R) ligand, is a newly discovered cytokine. Accumulating evidence has disclosed crucial roles of IL-34 in the proliferation and differentiation of mononuclear phagocyte lineage cells, osteoclastogenesis and inflammation. Recently, IL-34 was detected at high levels in patients with active RA and in experimental models of inflammatory arthritis. Blockade of functional IL-34 with a specific monoclonal antibody can reduce the severity of inflammatory arthritis, suggesting that targeting IL-34 or its receptors may constitute a novel therapeutic strategy for autoimmune diseases such as RA. Here, we have comprehensively discussed the structure and biological functions of IL-34, and reviewed recent advances in our understanding of the emerging role of IL-34 in the development of RA as well as its potential utility as a therapeutic target.
authors.affiliation: Anhui Key Laboratory of Bioactivity of Natural Products, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.|The Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
authors.forename: Ren-Peng
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Anhui Key Laboratory of Bioactivity of Natural Products, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.|The Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Shan
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Anhui Key Laboratory of Bioactivity of Natural Products, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.|The Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
authors.forename: Ya-Ya
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Anhui Key Laboratory of Bioactivity of Natural Products, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.|The Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
authors.forename: Bei-Bei
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.affiliation: Anhui Key Laboratory of Bioactivity of Natural Products, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.|The Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Anhui Key Laboratory of Bioactivity of Natural Products, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.|The Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
authors.forename: Jin-Fang
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.affiliation: Anhui Key Laboratory of Bioactivity of Natural Products, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China. cfhchina@sohu.com, zrpahmu@sina.com.|The Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China. cfhchina@sohu.com, zrpahmu@sina.com.
authors.forename: Fei-Hu
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D007249:Inflammation; D007378:Interleukins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D012157:Mononuclear Phagocyte System; D010012:Osteogenesis; D016184:Receptors, Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; C529076:IL34 protein, human; D007378:Interleukins; D016184:Receptors, Colony-Stimulating Factor
keywords: autoimmune; cytokine; inflammation; interleukin-34; rheumatoid arthritis