The pathogenesis of
rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remains to be completely elucidated so far; however, it is known that proinflammatory
cytokines play a pivotal role in the induction of RA.
Tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), in particular, is considered to play a central role in bone destruction by mediating the abnormal activation of osteoclasts or the production of
proteolytic enzymes through direct or indirect mechanisms. The use of TNF-α blocking agents has a significant impact on RA
therapy. Anti-TNF-α blocking agents such as
infliximab are very effective for treatment of RA, especially for the prevention of articular destruction. We have previously shown that several
proteins exhibited extensive changes in their expression after amelioration of RA with
infliximab treatment. Among the
proteins,
connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) has a significant role for the development of RA. Herein, we review the function of CTGF in the pathogenesis of RA and discuss the possibility of a novel treatment for RA. We propose that CTGF is a potentially novel effector molecule in the pathogenesis of RA. Blocking the CTGF pathways by
biological agents may have great beneficial effect in patients with RA.