The IL-23–IL-17 immune axis: from mechanisms to therapeutic testing

The IL-23/IL-17 axis as a therapeutic target.

T helper (Th) cells are known to differentiate into several distinct subsets depending on their environment. The Interleukin 17 (IL-17)-producing subset Th17, which was reported and named in 2005, has been extensively analyzed because a strong association with inflammatory disorders has been suggested. The condition in which Th17 cells are differentiated, critical transcription factors, and sim...

IL-17/IL-17 receptor system in autoimmune disease: mechanisms and therapeutic potential.

IL-17 (interleukin-17), a hallmark cytokine of Th17 (T-helper 17) cells, plays critical roles in host defence against bacterial and fungal infections, as well as in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. The present review focuses on current knowledge of the regulation, functional mechanisms and targeting strategies of IL-17 in the context of inflammatory autoimmune diseases. Evidence shows t...

Autoimmune Mechanisms of Psoriasis: Pathogenic Role of the IL-23/IL-17 Axis

Psoriasis is a chronic, recurrent, immuno-inflammatory disease of the skin and joints associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Psoriasis affects approximately 2-4% of the Caucasian population worldwide. The precise immuno-inflammatory mechanisms leading to skin psoriasis are still to be fully defined. There is emerging evidence supporting the existence of a relationship between chan...

The IL-23/IL-17 axis in inflammation.

IL-23 induces the differentiation of naive CD4(+) T cells into highly pathogenic helper T cells (Th17/Th(IL-17)) that produce IL-17, IL-17F, IL-6, and TNF-alpha, but not IFN-gamma and IL-4. Two studies in this issue of the JCI demonstrate that blocking IL-23 or its downstream factors IL-17 and IL-6, but not the IL-12/IFN-gamma pathways, can significantly suppress disease development in animal m...

The Role of IL-23/IL-17 Axis in Lupus