CD44 receptor-targeted novel drug delivery strategies for rheumatoid arthritis therapy

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory condition that mainly affects the lining of the synovial joints. It can progressively cause disability and even premature death. Moreover, it is associated with substantial socioeconomic burdens [Citation1]. Currently, RA affects more than 23 million people globally, including 12.6 million Indians [Citation1].

Recent findings have suggested the involvement of genetic factors in the development of RA. The HLA-DRB1 alleles that code shared epitopes (conserved sequence of amino acids in positions 70–74 of HLA-DRβ chains) are associated with the structural severity of RA. It was reported that more than 80% of the RA-affected individuals carry the HLA-DRB1*04 cluster, in which *04 signifies the allele group which corresponds to the serological type [Citation1]