Targeting Interleukin-17 and Th17 in Immune Inflammatory Diseases / 한양의대학술지

ABSTRACT

Th17 cells (Th17) are a distinct lineage of CD4+ T cells that secrete high amounts of IL-17 under orphan nuclear receptor retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor gammat (RORgammat) which is a lineage-specific transcription factor. TGF-beta and inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6, IL-21, IL-1beta, and IL-23, play central roles in the generation of Th17 cells. Th17 cells and their effector molecules, such as IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-21, IL-22, and CCL20, contribute to the progression and pathogenesis of several autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease and systemic lupus erythematosus. Studies of Th17 development and the effects of IL-17 signaling in autoimmune responses suggest a high potential for targeting this pathway in immune pathologies. In this review, we discuss Th17 biology in relation to autoinflammatory disorders and the various therapeutic strategies under investigation which target the IL-17-Th17 cell pathway in chronic inflammatory autoimmune disorders.