Five upregulated genes (CDKN3, SUSD4, USP7, HAL, and HIST4H4) and four downregulated gene (DFFB, PTPN13, RIPK1, and METTL3) in early treatment-naïve RA patients were selected for RT-qPCR. Here, PTPN13 is linked to rheumatoid arthritis.