Despite their association with loss of bone mass and increased fracture risk, glucocorticoids have been an important component of rheumatoid arthritis therapy for more than 60 years. In this article, Ulrike Baschant and colleagues describe the tissue-specific, molecular and cellular mechanisms of glucocorticoid action, and suggest new criteria for selective glucocorticoid receptor agonists, which could have similar anti-inflammatory efficacy to traditional glucocorticoids without the adverse effects.
- Ulrike Baschant
- Nancy E. Lane
- Jan Tuckermann