Research progress of mitophagy and its targeted therapeutic strategies in rheumatoid arthritis
Year: 2026
Type: review
Abstract: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic autoimmune inflammatory disease characterized by persistent joint inflammation and progressive bone destruction. In recent years, mitophagy-a selective form of autophagy-has garnered increasing attention. As a critical cellular process, mitophagy specifically removes damaged mitochondria and maintains mitochondrial homeostasis and energy metabolic balance. Accumulating evidence suggests that mitophagy not only regulates cell survival and metabolic reprogramming but also plays a central role in preserving immune homeostasis, modulating immune cell polarization, and suppressing inflammatory signaling. This article reviews the molecular mechanisms of mitophagy and its pivotal role in RA, along with recent advances in mitophagy-targeted therapeutic strategies, aiming to provide novel insights for RA treatment.
Source: Frontiers in Immunology
Authors: Yuanyuan Zhang, Fengmei Ge, Xuebin Wang
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,801
OpenAlex ID: W7222188812