title: Anti-IL-23 therapy inhibits multiple inflammatory pathways and ameliorates autoimmune encephalomyelitis.
abstract: IL-23 is a member of the IL-12 cytokine family that drives a highly pathogenic T cell population involved in the initiation of autoimmune diseases. We have shown that IL-23-dependent, pathogenic T cells produced IL-17 A, IL-17 F, IL-6, and TNF but not IFN-gamma or IL-4. We now show that T-bet and STAT1 transcription factors are not required for the initial production of IL-17. However, optimal IL-17 production in response to IL-23 stimulation appears to require the presence of T-bet. To explore the clinical efficacy of targeting the IL-23 immune pathway, we generated anti-IL-23p19-specific antibodies and tested to determine whether blocking IL-23 function can inhibit EAE, a preclinical animal model of human multiple sclerosis. Anti-IL-23p19 treatment reduced the serum level of IL-17 as well as CNS expression of IFN-gamma, IP-10, IL-17, IL-6, and TNF mRNA. In addition, therapeutic treatment with anti-IL-23p19 during active disease inhibited proteolipid protein (PLP) epitope spreading and prevented subsequent disease relapse. Thus, therapeutic targeting of IL-23 effectively inhibited multiple inflammatory pathways that are critical for driving CNS autoimmune inflammation.
authors: Discovery Research, Schering-Plough Biopharma, Palo Alto, California 94304, USA.
authors: Yi
authors: Y
authors: Chen
authors: Claire L
authors: CL
authors: Langrish
authors: Brent
authors: B
authors: McKenzie
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Joyce-Shaikh
authors: Jason S
authors: JS
authors: Stumhofer
authors: Terrill
authors: T
authors: McClanahan
authors: Wendy
authors: W
authors: Blumenschein
authors: Tatyana
authors: T
authors: Churakovsa
authors: Justin
authors: J
authors: Low
authors: Leonard
authors: L
authors: Presta
authors: Christopher A
authors: CA
authors: Hunter
authors: Robert A
authors: RA
authors: Kastelein
authors: Daniel J
authors: DJ
authors: Cua