T cells and TNF: The impct of TNF blockade on effector T cell populations in rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions treated with anti-TNF-alpha agents.

The primary objective of our research is to determine the effect of anti-TNF-alpha treatment on the levels of a cell type of the immune system, called Th17 cells and their product, IL-17 in blood samples and joint biopsies from patients with rheumatoid arthritis at different time points during treatment and how these changes correlate with parameters of systemic and local disease activity.