Targeting Nuclear Hormone Receptors: PPARαAgonists as Potential Disease-Modifying Drugs for Rheumatoid Arthritis

In recent years, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) have received growing interest due to the broad spectrum of their biological activities. PPAR α , an isoform of PPAR, plays an important role in lipid homeostasis and inflammation, which makes it a potential target for the treatment of chronic inflammatory disorders, including RA. This paper reviews studies on the properties of PPAR α agonists which may be pertinent to the treatment of RA. These properties include effects on lipid metabolism, inflammation, and angiogenesis, as well as interference with glucocorticoid effects, and a potential role in gender dimorphism of autoimmune disorders. However, current clinical experience with this class of drugs in RA is limited. New studies are needed to elucidate whether PPAR α agonism may be an effective treatment strategy for RA patients.