Is sustained T cell Rap1 signaling protective in the collagen-induced arthritis model of rheumatoid arthritis?
Our findings indicate that maintenance of T cell Rap1 signaling in murine T cells reduces disease incidence and severity in CIA, which are associated with specific defects in T cell effector function. Therefore, the restoration of Rap1 function in RA synovial T cells may have therapeutic benefit in RA.
These findings highlight the effectiveness of a dual-step pharmacological intervention to mitigate an aberrant and enduring aversive memory similar to that underlying the post-traumatic stress disorder.