title: [Th17 cells - a new proinflammatory T cell population and its role in rheumatologic autoimmune diseases].
abstract: CD4 T cells play a major role in the development and persistence of autoimmune rheumatic diseases. The recent identification of IL-17-producing Th17 cells as a potent proinflammatory subset extends the understanding of pathophysiological processes not explained by the Th1/Th2 dichotomy. The recent data from human studies discussed in this article indicate an important pathogenic function for Th17 cells and Th17-derived IL-17 suggesting that therapies targeting Th17 cells/IL-17 may be of potential use in the treatment of those diseases.
authors.affiliation: Rheumaeinheit, Medizinische Poliklinik, Klinikum der Universität München, München. jan.leipe@med.uni-muenchen.de
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leipe
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Skapenko
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schulze-Koops
mesh_terms: D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000276:immunology*; D018448:Models, Immunological; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification* / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D020381:Interleukin-17