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Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) as a therapeutic target in rheumatoid arthritis

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Abstract

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has an important role in the hyperplastic growth of tumor. Similar to tumor growth, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synovium is hyperplastic, invasive, and expresses EGFR and its ligands. Activation of EGFR signaling is responsible for synovial fibroblast proliferation in RA. Furthermore, in addition to its role in proliferation, EGFR and its ligands can induce cytokine production of synovial fibroblasts during the pathogenesis of RA. Agents that target EGFR have yielded promising results in animal experiments involving RA, pharmacologic modulations targeting EGFR, or its ligands may give rise to new therapeutic approaches for RA. In this review article, we will discuss the biological features of EGFR and summarize recent advances regarding the role of EGFR in the pathogenesis and treatment of RA.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the China National Science Foundation grants No.30901526 and No. 81101372.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Third Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214041, China

    Feng-Lai Yuan, Xia Li, Wei-Guo Lu, Jun-Ming Sun, Dong-Lin Jiang & Rui-Sheng Xu

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  1. Feng-Lai Yuan
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  2. Xia Li
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  3. Wei-Guo Lu
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Correspondence to Feng-Lai Yuan.

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Yuan, FL., Li, X., Lu, WG. et al. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) as a therapeutic target in rheumatoid arthritis. Clin Rheumatol 32, 289–292 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-012-2119-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-012-2119-9

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