While a recent genome-wide meta-analysis failed to identify a significant association between RA and SOCS1 (14), SOCS1 mRNA levels are significantly increased in peripheral blood T-cells and in synovial membranes of RA patients as compared with patients with osteoarthritis (15), pointing to a possible role for SOCS1 in RA. This evidence concerns the gene SOCS1 and osteoarthritis.