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Article types	Original article
Language	English
Refereed paper	Refereed
Title	Tocilizumab suppresses NF-kappa B activation via toll-like receptor 9 signaling by reducing cell-free DNA in rheumatoid arthritis.
Journal	Formal name：Clinical and experimental immunology ISSN code：13652249/00099104/00099104
Domestic / Foregin	Foregin
Volume, Number, Page	213,pp.209-220
Papers・Author	Hashimoto Teppei, Yoshida Kohsuke, Yokoyama Yuichi, Hashimoto Naonori, Kaneshiro Kenta, Yoshikawa Takahiro, Tateishi Koji, Terashima Yasuhiro, Matsui Kiyoshi, Hashiramoto Akira.
Publication date	2023/07
Papers・Description	Endogenous DNA is released into the bloodstream as cell-free DNA (cfDNA) following cell death and is associated with various pathological conditions. However, their association with therapeutic drugs against rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remains unknown. Therefore, we investigated the significance of cfDNA in RA treated with tocilizumab and tumour necrosis factor inhibitor (TNF-I). Biological DMARDs (bDMARDs), including tocilizumab and TNF-I, were administered to 77 and 59 RA patients, respectively. Plasma cfDNA levels were measured at weeks 0, 4, and 12 by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Disease activity was evaluated at the same time point using DAS28ESR. cfDNA levels from RA synovial cells treated with tocilizumab or etanercept for 24 h were measured.