Importantly, it has recently been demonstrated that this receptor is highly expressed in CD14+ cells in chronic RA and in animal models, correlating with an increased production of the inflammatory cytokines TNFα, IL1β, GM-CSF and IL8 after stimulation of these cells in culture suggesting that blocking this pathway may be an important venue for the development of novel therapeutic strategies in RA [16]. This evidence concerns the gene CSF2 and rheumatoid arthritis.