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pubmed:abstractText |
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common systemic autoimmune disease and is characterized mainly by symmetric polyarticular joint disorders. The pathologic processes are mediated by a number of cytokines, chemokines, cell adhesion molecules, and matrix metalloproteinases. The expression of most of these molecules is controlled at the transcriptional level. In addition, activation of NF-kappaB is involved in RA pathogenesis. This study was performed to explore the role of a novel serine/threonine kinase inhibitor, fasudil, in the control of the NF-kappaB activation pathway and to investigate the therapeutic effects of fasudil on arthritis development in a rat model of RA.
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