(1)First Department of Internal Medicine,
School of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University 1-5-45
Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan
Abstract
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.
