The prognostic value of viral detection and specific cytokine production in chronic inflammatory disease
The prognostic value of viral detection and specific cytokine production in chronic inflammatory disease
Hartley MA, Bourreau E, Rossi M, Castiglioni P, Eren RO, Prevel F, Couppié P, Hickerson SM, Launois P, Beverley SM, Ronet C, Fasel N.
Our immune system produces signaling molecules termed cytokines that can stimulate the movement of cells towards sites of inflammation. The cytokine IL-17 has a reputation as being the architect of numerous chronic inflammatory diseases Including rheumatoid arthritis.
This work describes a study where the authors analysed IL-17 levels in patients suffering from a chronic inflammatory infection. Disease severity was previously demonstrated by the authors to be linked with the presence of a virus in a parasite activating the innate immune system.
In the present study published in PLOS pathogens the authors demonstrated that the detection of IL-17 in patient biopsies correlated with patients suffering from the more severe forms of the disfiguring inflammatory disease. These findings were subsequently validated in murine models whereby inhibitors of IL-17 were able to reduce disease severity. The model could thus be useful to test and develop an immunotherapeutic approach for chronic inflammatory diseases where IL-17 plays a role.
Key idea/result:
The presence of the cytokine IL-17 and a virus as predictors of chronic inflammatory disease and a model to test potential therapeutics
Author:
Mary-Anne Hartley is currently undertaking her Medical degree at the University of Lausanne and pursues her interest in improving prediction of infections from patients suffering from neglected diseases.
Key words:
- Cytokine
- Inflammation
- Metastasis
- Rheumatoid
- Arthritis
- Virus
- Leishmania
