METHOD FOR EVALUATING THE RESPONSE OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS PATIENTS TO THERAPY AND FOR DIAGNOSING DISEASE SEVERITY

摘要

The present invention identified slL-7R as a serum marker of fibroblast and CD4 T cell activation in RA. Elevated slL-7R serum levels reflect RA synovial cell exposure to combinations of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-17 and synergistic combinations of these cytokines. Elevated baseline serum levels predict response to methotrexate therapy in early RA patients. Elevated baseline slL-7R serum levels strongly predict poor-response to TNF blockade in DMARD-resistant patients and, potentially, poor- response to IL-1 and IL-17 blocking agents. The invention thus provides for methods and tools for predicting disease severity and the responsiveness of a subject to treatment.