A potential new target for autoinflammatory bone disease.

Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO) is an autoinflammatory bone disease mediated by the inflammatory cytokine, IL-1β. Although IL-1β is known as the key driver of bone lesions in CRMO, the signaling events leading to pathogenic levels of the cytokine are not fully understood. Using a genetic mouse model of CRMO, Dasari et al. find a role for the nonreceptor spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) in upstream signaling leading to IL-1β up-regulation. Their findings suggest that SYK may constitute a new therapeutic target for CRMO.