Anti-interleukin 6 receptor antibody tocilizumab reduces the level of serum hepcidin in patients with multicentric Castleman's disease.
We report two cases of multicentric Castleman's disease (MCD) whose serum hepcidin levels were rapidly down-regulated by administration of tocilizumab, an anti- interleukin 6 (IL-6) receptor antibody. Our results indicate that IL-6-induced hepcidin over-production may be involved in the pathophysiology of microcytic anemia commonly observed in this disease.
Kawabata
Hiroshi
H
Tomosugi
Naohisa
N
Kanda
Junya
J
Tanaka
Yasuhiro
Y
Yoshizaki
Kazuyuki
K
Uchiyama
Takashi
T
D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects*; D005871:Castleman Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D064451:Hepcidins; D006801:Humans; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000276:immunology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; C578702:HAMP protein, human; D064451:Hepcidins; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6; C502936:tocilizumab