IL17A and rheumatoid arthritis: Our study could provide further evidence of a role of TB infection in the initiation of autoimmune response in RA, and elucidate possible regulatory mechanisms of this process, by the recognition of Mtb PAMP through PRRs (for instance TLRs), enhancing the production of proinflammatory cytokines (such as IL-17), which promote synovitis, and help in T and B cell activation.