KEGG    Rheumatoid arthritis - Reference pathway (KO) Help
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Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune joint disease where persistent inflammation affects bone remodeling leading to progressive bone destruction. In RA, abnormal activation of the immune system elevates pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines levels, which can promote synovial angiogenesis and leukocyte infiltration. The synovium forms a hyperplastic pannus with infiltrated macrophage-like and fibroblast-like synoviocytes and invades joints by secreting proteinases and inducing osteoclast differentiation.