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Interleukin-27 as a potential therapeutic target for rheumatoid arthritis: has the time come?

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Abstract

Interleukin (IL)-27 is a novel member of the IL-6/IL-12 family of cytokines with a broad range of pro- and anti-inflammatory properties. Recently, accumulating evidence has shown that IL-27 can play either a pathogenic or a protective role in animal models of inflammatory arthritis, depending upon the model and underlying pathogenic mechanisms. As to human system, elevated expression of IL-27 has clearly been detected in the synovial membranes and fluid from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Moreover, stimulation of IL-27 receptor with IL-27 of fibroblast-like synoviocytes from RA had a suppressive effect on the production of proinflammatory cytokines in vitro. All these findings suggest that IL-27 may have promise as a potential therapeutic target for RA. In this review, we will discuss the biological features of IL-27 and summarize recent advances on both pathogenic and protective roles of IL-27 in RA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Third Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214041, China

    Fang Gong, Yu-Hong Pan, Xuan Huang, Jiang Chen, Jin-Hua Xiao & Hua-Yan Zhu

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  1. Fang Gong
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  2. Yu-Hong Pan
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  3. Xuan Huang
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  4. Jiang Chen
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  5. Jin-Hua Xiao
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  6. Hua-Yan Zhu
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Correspondence to Fang Gong.

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Gong, F., Pan, YH., Huang, X. et al. Interleukin-27 as a potential therapeutic target for rheumatoid arthritis: has the time come?. Clin Rheumatol 32, 1425–1428 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-013-2341-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-013-2341-0

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