To further improve the delivery of both drugs and imaging agents for the treatment of RA, researchers are increasingly focusing on the inflamed tissue that leads to joint destruction¡Xthe synovium. In the April 2006 issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism ( http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/arthritis ), noted rheumatology specialists with Kings College London, Dr. Toby Garrood and Dr. Costantino Pitzalis offer an overview of recent breakthroughs and a preview of future directions in this critical quest for specificity.
Among important and promising research, the authors discuss:
Looking forward, Dr. Garrood and Dr. Pitzalis highlight substantial, indirect evidence of the existence of a truly specific synovial homing receptor "the key to unlocking the mechanisms of inflammation" and exciting advances in phage display technology. "Significant progress is being made in the development of technologies for specific targeting of the synovium and delivery of therapeutic agents," the authors attest. They conclude by emphasizing the importance of identifying novel molecular targets within the synovium for optimizing the diagnosis and management of RA.
Editorial: "Targeting the Inflamed Synovium: The Quest for Specificity," Toby Garrood and Costantino Pitzalis, Arthritis & Rheumatism, April 2006, 54:4, pp. 1055-1060.
Arthritis & Rheumatism