The IL‐17 pathway as a major therapeutic target in autoimmune diseases

Dec 16, 2010Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences

The IL-17 immune pathway as a key treatment target in autoimmune diseases

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Abstract

Th17 cells are associated with the production of IL-17A and IL-17F, which mediate pathologic functions in autoimmune diseases.

Th17 cells are a subset of T helper cells involved in host defense and autoimmune diseases.
They produce pro-inflammatory cytokines, including IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-22, and IL-21.
IL-17A and IL-17F signal through specific receptors mainly found on epithelial cells and fibroblasts.
While they help defend against extracellular pathogens, they may also cause tissue damage during autoimmunity.
The IL-17 pathway represents a potential therapeutic target for conditions driven by Th17 cells.

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Th17 cells are a subset of T helper cells that have been recently found to play important functions in host defense and the pathogenesis of various human autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Th17 cells produce IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-22, and IL-21, of which IL-17A and IL-17F mediate many of the downstream pathologic functions of these cells. IL-17A and IL-17F signal through IL-17RA and IL-17RC heterodimeric receptors that are mainly expressed on tissue epithelial cells and fibroblasts. While IL-17A and IL-17F are important for host defense against many extracellular pathogens, they can also cause excessive tissue damage and exacerbate proinflammatory responses during autoimmunity. The IL-17 pathway, therefore, is a primary therapeutic target downstream of Th17 cells.

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Abstract

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