Pro-Inflammatory Th17 Cells and Glucocorticoid Resistance: Implications for Chronic Inflammatory Diseases and Their Treatment
Evolving Concepts Summary Th17 cells have heterogeneous phenotypes and functions, and can have pro- or anti-inflammatory activities. Pathogenic Th17 cells have been associated to several inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Besides IL-17A and IL-17F, they also produce GM-CSF and IFN-γ, and express high levels of IL-23R. These cells are refractory to glucocorticoid (GC)-mediated T cell suppression, […]
Th17 Cells and Lymphotoxin: Conductors for the Tertiary Lymphoid Tissues and Inflammation Orchestra
Commentary on the study by Natalia Pikor et al., Immunity, 2015, 43:1160-73. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2015.11.010 Integration of Th17- and Lymphotoxin-Derived Signals Initiates Meningeal-Resident Stromal Cell Remodeling to Propagate Neuroinflammation Tertiary lymphoid organs, or more properly, tertiary lymphoid tissues (TLTs), are accumulations of lymphoid tissues that arise in situations of chronic inflammation. TLTs have been shown to […]
Chronic Urticaria Linked to a Th2/Th17 Shift in Skin Lesions
A new study by Andrea Moy, Mandakolathur Murali and Rosalynn Nazarian, published in the Journal of Cutaneous Pathology, indicates that in the chronic urticaria skin lesions the immune response is characterized by a Th2/Th17 shift. Chronic urticaria (hives) is a condition where an itchy rash persists on and off for six weeks or more. The […]
The Th17–IL-17–IL-17R System Linked To Altered Brain Development and Autism-Like Symptoms in Mice
A new report published in Science indicates that the key pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-17a may interfere with the normal brain development in a mouse model of autism, causing disorganized cortical cytoarchitecture and autism-like symptoms. IL-17 is a highly pathogenic pro-inflammatory cytokine, considered a major player in several autoimmune/inflammatory diseases, whereas altered cytokine profiles and increased […]
Inhibitors of RORγt Targeting Th17 Cells May Hold Promising Therapeutic Potential in Inflammation & Autoimmunity
Recently, several RORγt inhibitors have been identified that effectively restrict the function and differentiation of pro-inflammatory T helper (Th)17 cells. The transcription factor RORγt belongs to the nuclear receptor superfamily – consisting of 48 members that serve as ligand-activated transcription factors translating extracellular or intracellular signals into a transcriptional response. RORγt is the immune cell-specific […]
Th17 and Th22 Cells May Contribute To the Pathogenesis of Guillain-Barré Syndrome
A study by Shujuan Li and colleagues from the Jilin University, Changchun, China, suggests that Th17 and Th22 cells might be involved in the onset and development of Guillain-Barré Syndrome. Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), described in 1916 by George Guillain, Jean-Alexandre Barré, and André Strohl, is an acute inflammatory immune-mediated polyradiculoneuropathy presenting typically with tingling, progressive […]
New Evidence that Peripheral Nerves Sense Infection and Drive IL-23 Production by Skin Dendritic Cells
In a new study published in the journal Immunity, Sakeen Kashem and colleagues from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA report that in the murine skin, IL-23, derived from CD301b+ DCs drives IL-17A production by γδ T cells, and this cytokine network is required to establish resistance to cutaneous candidiasis. Interleukin (IL)-23 is a […]
Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide Inhibits Pathogenic Th17 Cells from Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients
A study published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology indicates that in blood from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) shifts the activity of T cells towards a more T regulatory cell phenotype, and reduces the pathogenic profile of T helper (Th)17 cells. The vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is well-known for its immunoregulatory […]
Glucocorticoid Resistance of Th17 Cells in Takayasu Arteritis
A study published in the Arthritis & Rheumatology journal is perhaps the first to demonstrate that T helper (Th)1 and Th17 cells and cytokine pathways may play central role in driving systemic inflammation in Takayasu arteritis. Takayasu arteritis (TA) is a rare type of vasculitis that affects mostly middle-aged women, with greater frequency in Asia, […]
New Evidence that Th17 Cells Contribute to Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
Posted on May 6, 2017 By Alicia Juana Klecha Commentaries
Commentary On the study by K Degertekin et al, Cytokine, 2016, 80:13-7 Circulating Th17 cytokine levels are altered in Hashimoto’s thyroiditis The T helper (Th)1/Th2 paradigm has been used to explain many aspects of immune physiology and several immune-associated pathological conditions. Recent progress in the field has prompted increased focus on other effector T lymphocytes […]