Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease, which is characterized by a chronic fluctuating course and immune dysfunction, resulting in affecting the health and life quality of RA patients. Methotrexate (MTX), as the standard gold treatment of RA, has received more and more clinical applications and basic pharmacological research. In several observational studies, MTXR, and treatment responses in RA patients show that the ratio of MTXR and non- response is about 30%-50%, namely MTX resistance (MTXR). Extensive efforts have been made into the investigation of the mechanism and effective biomarkers in MTXR of RA. In this paper, we discuss the recent findings regarding the critical signaling pathways of MTXR in RA. Provide research targets and directions for a drug therapy that develop preventive strategies and effective treatments of MTXR.
Keywords: Mechanism; Methotrexate resistance; Response; Rheumatoid arthritis.