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Research M. Kracht Chronic inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis are difficult to treat and impose a big socio-economic burden to society. It is estimated that about 10% of the world population suffer from some kind of chronic inflammatory disorder. Within this group 1% of people get rheumatoid arthritis. Within the last 25 years, a major research effort worldwide has resulted in fascinating insights into novel pathophysiological mechanisms that drive chronic inflammation. As a result novel drugs (see below) have been developed. Within this context, the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1 and TNF have turned out as key effector molecules. Their eminent role in inflammation is widely accepted and well-proven. Soluble receptors (Enbrel), antibodies (Infliximab and Adalimumab) against TNF and receptor antagonists (Anakinra) against IL-1 have been introduced as novel drugs and have shown efficiency in a number of clincical trials. These drugs are the first prototypes of a new generation of treatments that allows much better control of active disease states. They can be used as an alternative to glucocorticoids or to reduce steroid usage. However, there are still no drugs that cure chronic inflammatory diseases specifically. Moreover, most drugs have severe side-effects (including anti TNF and anti IL-1 drugs). Hence, there is still an urgent demand of finding new ways of specifically targetting inflammation. Basic research including biochemistry, molecular biology and cell biology helps to identify new mechanisms at the molecular level. This in parallel helps to identify new target molecules and often these experiments are instrumental in identifying strategies to manipulate activity of molecules very specifically.
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