Furthermore, an increased percentage of CD4posIL17pos cells was observed in peripheral blood of RA patients with longer disease duration (cohort 2) when compared to early RA (p = 0.021), whose rate significantly decreased after12 months of follow-up of CTLA4-Ig treatment (p = 0.027) (Fig. 2B). The gene discussed is CTLA4; the disease is rheumatoid arthritis.