Update on Genetic Susceptibility and Pathogenesis in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

Abstract

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a multifactorial disease with a pathogenesis which remains inexplicable. However, genome-wide association studies brought forward within recent years have discovered several new susceptibility genes, and accumulating evidence supports genetic variability as playing a key role in JIA development. This review summarises the present knowledge of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) and non-HLA polymorphisms conferring disease susceptibility, and discusses the areas in JIA genetics, which are still to be investigated in order to apply JIA genetics in a clinical setting.

Keywords

• arthritis
• genetic predisposition to disease
• Genetics
• individualised medicine.
• juvenile
• Juvenile idiopathic arthritis