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Anti-IL-17 Therapy Halts Arthritis in Mice With Lyme Disease
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Jul 10 - Interleukin (IL) -17 is involved in
development of Borrelia burgdorferi-associated arthritis, according to the
results from an animal model. These findings suggest that IL-17 therapy may
be useful in preventing arthritis associated with Lyme disease, researchers
report in the June issue of Infection and Immunity.
Dr. Ronald F. Schell and colleagues at the University of Wisconsin, Madison,
note that "it is likely that IL-17 is a major contributor to the
pathogenesis of arthritis. Its role, however, in the arthritides associated
with B. burgdorferi has not been defined."
The researchers established that B. burgdorferi-vaccinated interferon gamma
deficient mice challenged with the Lyme spirochete developed severe
destructive arthritis.
They found that treatment of such mice with anti-IL-17 antibody not only
"delayed the onset of swelling of the hind paws, but more importantly it
consistently inhibited the development of arthritis."
Similar results were seen when anti-IL-17 receptor antibody was used. This
was also true when anti-IL-17 antibody treatment was followed by
administration of anti-IL-17 receptor antibody. However, no preventive
effect was achieved when recombinant 1L-17 was employed.
In light of these findings, the researchers call for further studies to
establish whether anti-IL-17 therapy may also be useful against
"intermittent and chronic arthritis associated with natural infection of
humans with B. burgdorferi."
Infect Immun 2003; 71:3437-3442.
Reuters Health Information 2003. © 2003 Reuters Ltd.
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