Furthermore, four lower-ranking biomarkers were selected due to their representation of key biological functions or pathways in RA, especially those implicated by other prioritized biomarkers: VCAM1 was included as complementary to ICAM1 (adhesion molecules), IL1b was included for its relation to IL1Ra (IL-1 pathway), MMP1 was included for its similarity to MMP3 (both MMPs) and CCL22 (MDC) was included to represent monocyte/macrophage biology. Here, VCAM1 is linked to rheumatoid arthritis.