Mechanisms of Disease: a 'DAMP' view of inflammatory arthritis

DAMP molecules, including high mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB-1), heat-shock proteins (HSPs), uric acid, altered matrix proteins, and S100 proteins, represent important danger signals that mediate inflammatory responses through the receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) and Toll-like receptors, after release from activated or necrotic cells.