Jeong, E.; Hong, H.; Lee, Y.-A.; Kim, K.-S. Potential Rheumatoid Arthritis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease Treatment and Computational Approach for Future Drug Development. Int. J. Mol. Sci.2024, 25, 2682.
Jeong, E.; Hong, H.; Lee, Y.-A.; Kim, K.-S. Potential Rheumatoid Arthritis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease Treatment and Computational Approach for Future Drug Development. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25, 2682.
Jeong, E.; Hong, H.; Lee, Y.-A.; Kim, K.-S. Potential Rheumatoid Arthritis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease Treatment and Computational Approach for Future Drug Development. Int. J. Mol. Sci.2024, 25, 2682.
Jeong, E.; Hong, H.; Lee, Y.-A.; Kim, K.-S. Potential Rheumatoid Arthritis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease Treatment and Computational Approach for Future Drug Development. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25, 2682.
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by swelling in at least one joint. Owing to an overactive immune response, extra-articular manifestations are observed in certain cases, with interstitial lung disease (ILD) being the most common. Rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD) is characterized by chronic inflammation of the interstitial space, which causes fibrosis and the scarring of lung tissue. Controlling inflammation and pulmonary fibrosis in RA-ILD is important because they are associated with high morbidity and mortality. Pirfenidone and nintedanib are specific drugs against idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and have shown efficacy against RA-ILD in several clinical trials. Immunosuppressants and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) with antifibrotic effects have also been used to treat RA-ILD. Immunosuppressants moderate the overexpression of cytokines and immune cells to reduce pulmonary damage and slow the progression of fibrosis. DMARDs with mild antifibrotic effects target specific fibrotic pathways to regulate fibrogenic cellular activity, extracellular matrix homeostasis, and oxidative stress levels. Therefore, specific medications are required to effectively treat RA-ILD. In this review, the commonly used RA-ILD treatments are discussed based on their molecular mechanisms and clinical trial results. In addition, a computational approach is proposed to develop specific drugs for RA-ILD.
Medicine and Pharmacology, Medicine and Pharmacology
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