Abstract An accumulating body of evidence shows that gene therapy can be successfully used to treat animal models of arthritis. Based on this success, a clinical trial of gene therapy for rheumatoid arthritis has been initiated. We review the methods and genes used for the previous gene transfer experiments, including our own. Retroviral ex vivo gene transfer and adenoviral in vivo gene transfer were utilized most frequently. Most of the gene transfer strategies aimed at suppression of synovial inflammation, while our study attempted to convert a phenotype of synovial cells. Gene transfer could be used for part of the future therapy for RA. In basic research studies, gene transfer is of great help in defining new target molecules to treat arthritis.
