类风湿关节炎（RA）是以慢性炎症反应与侵袭性关节炎为特征的常见自身免疫性疾病。RA的基本病理变化为关节内增生滑膜炎和关节外血管炎，对称性关节腔积液和狭窄，血管翳形成导致关节软骨或者关节附属结构的破坏。RA病程中出现受累关节肿胀疼痛，造成关节畸形、关节僵硬和关节功能障碍，最终导致残疾。近年来，关于神经生长因子（NGF）与RA免疫病理关系的研究取得了显著进展。已有研究结果显示，RA患者的滑膜液NGF水平升高，提示NGF在免疫炎症介导的疼痛行为中起着重要作用。此外，神经生长因子前体（包括proNGF和proBDNF等）可以促进细胞凋亡及炎症反应，其中proBDNF及其受体水平在RA患者血液中有显著变化。因此，可以推断proNGF和proBDNF可能成为RA治疗的新靶点。根据目前国内外最新研究成果，简要介绍NGF与RA在免疫病理、免疫炎症反应、疼痛行为等方面的研究进展，总结NGF在RA治疗中具有的潜在应用价值。“,”Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation and aggressive arthritis. The basic pathological changes of RA include intra-articular hyperplasia synovitis and extra-articular vasculitis, symmetrical joint cavity effusion and stenosis, and the formation of pannus leading to the destruction of articular cartilage or joint accessory structures. In the course of RA, swelling and pain of the affected joints occur, causing joint deformities, joint stiffness, and joint dysfunction, and eventually disability. In recent years, significant progress has been made in the study of the relationship between nerve growth factor (NGF) and RA immunopathology. The results of existing studies have shown that the level of NGF in the synovial fluid of RA patients is elevated, suggesting that NGF plays an important role in immune inflammation-mediated pain behavior. In addition, nerve growth factor precursors (including proNGF and proBDNF, etc.) can promote cell apoptosis and inflammation. Among them, the levels of proBDNF and its receptors have significant changes in the blood of RA patients. Therefore, it can be inferred that proNGF and proBDNF may become new targets for RA treatment. According to the latest international domestic research results, in this paper the research progress of NGF and RA in immunopathology, immune inflammatory response, pain behavior, etc. were briefly introduced, and the potential application value of NGF in the treatment of RA was summarized.