Maney NJ, Lemos H, Barron-Millar B, et al. - This study’s findings demonstrate that Pim kinases are plausible therapeutic targets in a readily identifiable subgroup of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Repurposing of Pim inhibitors should be considered for this disease.

• The results illustrated that the percentage of circulating CD4+ T cells positive for PIM1 transcript by flow cytometry proved a faithful surrogate for gene expression and was significantly higher in patients with early RA than in those with other diseases.

• According to the findings, Pim-1 protein levels were similarly upregulated in synovial CD4+ T cells from patients with early RA.

• It was shown that Ex vivo, exposure of T cell receptor-stimulated early RA CD4+ T cells to Pim kinase inhibitors restrained their activation and proliferative capacity.

• The study found diminished production of proinflammatory cytokines (interferon-γ and interleukin-17) and an expanded CD25 ^highFoxP3+ Treg cell fraction in exposed vs unexposed cells.

• It has been reported that administration of Pim inhibitors robustly limited arthritis progression and cartilage destruction in collagen-induced arthritis.