Brief Report: Inhibition of interleukin-6 function corrects Th17/Treg cell imbalance in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

摘要: OBJECTIVE: From an immunologic standpoint, the mechanisms by which treatment with tocilizumab (TCZ), a humanized anti-interleukin-6 (anti-IL-6) receptor antibody, results in improvement rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients are still not fully understood. In vitro studies and mouse models have demonstrated critical role of IL-6 Th17 cell differentiation. lymphocytes been shown to be strongly involved RA pathogenesis, purpose this study was investigate effect blockade on balance between cells Treg active RA. METHODS: Patients for whom TCZ had prescribed rheumatologist were enrolled study. Phenotypic analyses T populations performed, Disease Activity Score 28 joints (DAS28) assessed. Serum cytokine levels other parameters inflammation measured before first infusion after third (8 mg/kg). RESULTS: Compared controls, (CD4+IL-17+) increased (CD4+CD25(high) FoxP3+) decreased peripheral blood The suppressive function circulating impaired induced significant decrease DAS28 associated percentage (from median 0.9% 0.45%; P = 0.009) increase 3.05% 3.94%; 0.0039) all patients. CONCLUSION: This demonstrates time that inhibition corrects imbalance