The Dynamic Duo?Inflammatory M1 macrophages and Th17 cells in Rheumatic Diseases

The synovial tissue of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients is enriched with macrophages and T lymphocytes which are two central players in the pathogenesis of RA. Interaction between myeloid cells and T cells are essential for the initiation and progression of the inflammatory processes in the synovium. With the rapid evolution of our understanding of how these two cell types are involved in the regulation of immune responses, RA is emerging as an ideal disease model for investigating the cell-cell interactions and consequently introducing novel biologic agents that are designed to disrupt these processes. This review will discuss the bidirectional interaction between the IL-23+inflammatory macrophages and IL-17+ GM-CSF+CD4 T cells in rheumatic diseases as well as potential antirheumatic strategies via apoptosis induction in this context.