Interleukin-17 and systemic lupus erythematosus: current concepts.
The emerging role of interleukin (IL)-17 as a hallmark proinflammatory cytokine of the adaptive immune system, produced primarily by a new T helper cell subset termed 'Th17', has received considerable attention. Differentiation of Th17 cells is driven by the simultaneous presence of transforming growth factor-beta and certain inflammatory cytokines (e.g. IL-6, IL-21), and recent studies have shown that inflammation instigated by IL-17-producing cells is central to the development and pathogenesis of several human autoimmune diseases and animal models of autoimmunity. In this review, we focus on the information regarding IL-17 and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a chronic autoimmune disease. The work that has explored the development and behaviour of IL-17-producing cells in SLE is discussed, and different mechanisms by which IL-17 could potentially augment inflammation and autoantibody production in the context of SLE are proposed.
Nalbandian
A
A
Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
Crispín
J C
JC
Tsokos
G C
GC
D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000276:immunology*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D023421:Models, Animal; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000276:immunology
D001323:Autoantibodies; D020381:Interleukin-17; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta