CD44 and arthritic joint disease: We hypothesized that, in addition to preferential accumulation in inflamed synovium via the ELVIS effect, macromolecular HA–EGCG conjugates would also undergo targeted internalization by CD44-overexpressing FLS via HA–CD44 interactions and subsequently cause H2O2-induced cell death and inhibition of IL-6 secretion (Fig. 1), thereby suppressing the progression of arthritis.