The immunomodulatory of interleukin-33 in rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic chronic autoimmune disease that primarily affects the joints and surrounding soft tissues, characterized by chronic inflammation and proliferation of the synovium. Various immune cells are involved in the pathophysiology of RA. The complex interplay of factors such as chronic inflammation, genetic susceptibility, dysregulation of serum antibody levels, among others, contribute to the complexity of the disease mechanism, disease activity, and treatment of RA. Recently, the cytokine storm leading to increased disease activity in RA has gained significant attention. Interleukin-33 (IL-33), a member of the IL-1 family, plays a crucial role in inflammation and immune regulation. ST2 (suppression of tumorigenicity 2 receptor), the receptor for IL-33, is widely expressed on the surface of various immune cells. When IL-33 binds to its receptor ST2, it activates downstream signaling pathways to exert immunoregulatory effects. In RA, IL-33 regulates the progression of the disease by modulating immune cells such as circulating monocytes, tissue-resident macrophages, synovial fibroblasts, mast cells, dendritic cells, neutrophils, T cells, B cells, endothelial cells, and others. We have summarized and analyzed these findings to elucidate the pathways through which IL-33 regulates RA. Furthermore, IL-33 has been detected in the synovium, serum, and synovial fluid of RA patients. Due to inconsistent research results, we conducted a meta-analysis on the association between serum IL-33, synovial fluid IL-33, and the risk of developing RA in patients. The pooled SMD was 1.29 (95% CI: 1.15–1.44), indicating that IL-33 promotes the onset and pathophysiological progression of RA. Therefore, IL-33 may serve as a biomarker for predicting the risk of developing RA and treatment outcomes. As existing drugs for RA still cannot address drug resistance in some patients, new therapeutic approaches are needed to alleviate the significant burden on RA patients and healthcare systems. In light of this, we analyzed the potential of targeting the IL-33/ST2-related signaling pathway to modulate immune cells associated with RA and alleviate inflammation. We also reviewed IL-33 and RA susceptibility-related single nucleotide polymorphisms, suggesting potential involvement of IL-33 and macrophage-related drug-resistant genes in RA resistance therapy. Our review elucidates the role of IL-33 in the pathophysiology of RA, offering new insights for the treatment of RA.