Interleukin 22, a Potential Therapeutic Target for Rheumatoid Arthritis

To the Editor: A recent report by Da Rocha, et al indicated that levels of interleukin 22 (IL-22) were increased in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) compared with controls; levels of IL-22 correlated with Disease Activity Score (DAS28) and Clinical Disease Activity Index measures, rheumatoid factor positivity was correlated with higher levels of IL-22 in patients with RA, and the presence of bone erosions was associated with high IL-22 levels1. These findings suggest that IL-22 may be a good biomarker for assessment of activity in RA, and IL-22 seems to be a potential therapeutic target for RA. Other studies have indicated the similar relationship between IL-22 and RA, … Address correspondence to Dr. Li; E-mail: lijun{at}ahmu.edu.cn