Inflammation of synovial tissue is a hallmark of rheumatoid arthritis. Synoviocytes express receptors for glucocorticoids, androgens and estrogens, which thereby creates a potential link between the immune reaction and the endocrine systems at a local level. There are also changes in the peripheral nervous system at the site of local inflammation. The complex interactions that occur between the endocrine, nervous and immune systems are outlined in this article.
- Maurizio Cutolo
- Rainer H Straub
- Johannes WJ Bijlsma
