IL1B and rheumatoid arthritis: In addition to macrophages, IL-17-producing T helper (Th17) cells are the main effector cells in the pathogenesis of RA, and recent studies have shown that the pharmacological inhibition of P2X7R in a model of collagen-induced experimental arthritis exhibits a significant reduction in Th17-cell-promoting factors (e.g., IL-1β and IL-6) [158].