title: Therapeutic potential of interleukin-17 in inflammation and autoimmune diseases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Interleukin-17 (IL-17) is a proinflammatory cytokine that mainly produced by T helper 17 (Th17) cells. In this article, we discussed the role of IL-17 in inflammation and autoimmune diseases, and the therapeutic strategies targeting IL-17.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this article, we discussed the proinflammatory cytokine IL-17 and IL-17 receptors signals, and their regulation. IL-17 expression was abnormal in the bacterium, virus and fungus infection, and its higher level caused the tissue inflammation. IL-17 was involved in the pathological process of autoimmune diseases, such as systemic sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and systemic lupus erythematosus, and IL-17 has been put as a therapeutic target in the clinic.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IL-17/IL-17R signals and their application in inflammation process still need to be explored. Therapeutic strategies targeting IL-17 in autoimmune diseases ameliorated the inadequate response to anti-TNF-α therapy.
authors.affiliation: Anhui Medical University, School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics , NO.81, Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, 230032, PR , China +86 551 65161175 ; +86 551 65161126 ; jwang2006@126.com.
authors.forename: Jun-Wei
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Yu-Jie
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wen-Jia
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Jin-Hui
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: Ya-Nan
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: Bao-Zhu
authors.initials: BZ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mei
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Guo-Jun
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xiang-Pei
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Dong-Qing
authors.initials: DQ
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy*; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D020381:Interleukin-17