ONCOGENES IN RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS

The feature of a continuous invasive and destructive growth of synovia l tissue is one of the main pathohistologic characteristics in patient s with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Transformed-appearing synovial cells are typically found at the site of cartilage and bone destruction. Ce rtain aberrantly activated gene sequences, called (proto)oncogenes, th at are regulating the normal cell cycle can induce transformation of c ells. Thus, a new model, the oncogene network, is introduced. This mod el describes and summarizes the known oncogene actions and interaction s in the RA synovium and supports the hypothesis of a T-cell-independe nt pathway as a major pathophysiologic mechanism in RA.