Rheumatoid Arthritis: Genetics

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease, affecting up to 1% of the UK population. It is thought that RA is the result of several genetic and environmental susceptibility factors, which in combination can result in disease manifestation. Overall it is estimated that genetic factors contribute 50% of disease risk, indicating a greater understanding of this component is essential. Although genetic studies have been performed for several years, a greater understanding of human genetics, combined with advances in molecular technology has revolutionised the identification of RA‐associated genes. To date 34 susceptibility loci have been identified, including many immune genes indicating that immune disparity may have a great role to play in RA pathogenesis. With several potential associations in the pipeline, future challenges focus on the identification of biological functions of susceptibility genes. These discoveries will provide crucial information for unravelling the pathogenic disease networks and elucidating potential targets for novel RA therapies. Key Concepts: Rheumatoid arthritis has a significant genetic contribution to risk. Recent advances have identified a number of genes or genomic regions associated with disease risk.