Behçet's syndrome pathophysiology and potential therapeutic targets

Behcet syndrome is a systemic inflammatory disorder characterized by multiorgan involvement such as oral and genital ulcers, uveitis, skin lesions as well as by less frequent, but often more severe, central nervous system and vascular manifestations. The pathogenetic mechanisms are still incompletely known; however the interaction between a specific genetic background and environmental or infectious factors certainly contributes to the immune dysregulation that characterizes this disease. The discovery of new immunological pathways in Behcet syndrome pathogenesis may help us to set up new treatments. In this review, we will focus our attention on the possible mechanisms underlying Behcet syndrome pathogenesis and their potential role as novel therapeutic targets.