Are increased Th17 cell frequency and poor clinical outcome in rheumatoid arthritis associated with a genetic variant in the IL4R gene , rs1805010?
The data indicate that the rs1805010 minor allele contributes to increased Th17 cell frequency, enhanced clinical activity, and accelerated radiographic progression in RA by rendering CD4 T cells from RA patients insensitive to the attenuating effect of IL-4 on Th17 cell development.
Our results show that chronic smoking is associated with high age- and BMI-adjusted plasma insulin levels, independent of other factors known to influence insulin sensitivity. The effect of smoking may be partially reversible after quitting.