title: Interleukin-23: a promising therapeutic target in seronegative spondyloarthropathy.
abstract: Particular therapeutic challenges are raised by the spondyloarthropathies which represent a key area of unmet medical need. Recent investigations have shown that these conditions are characterised both by altered responsiveness to interleukin(IL)-23 and expansion of IL-23 responsive cells as well as increased production of IL-23. The gut in particular has emerged as a key site of IL-23 production, and gut inflammation is known to be strongly clinically associated with these conditions. Moreover, HLA-B27, which is strongly associated with spondyloarthropathy, has also been shown to stimulate IL-23 production. The view is thus emerging that dysregulation of IL-23 biology is a unifying feature of spondyloarthropathy, suggesting that treatments targeting this cytokine are likely to be highly efficacious.
authors.affiliation: University of Birmingham, Vincent Drive, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK. jonsherlock1-bd@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: Jonathan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Sherlock
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Cua
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D053759:Interleukin-23 / Q000378:metabolism*; D025242:Spondylarthropathies / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D053759:Interleukin-23