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Effects of TNF ‐Alpha Inhibitors on Circulating T h17 Cells in Patients Affected by Severe Psoriasis
Author(s) -
Piaserico Stefano,
Sandini Elena,
Saldan Alda,
Abate Davide
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
drug development research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.582
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1098-2299
pISSN - 0272-4391
DOI - 10.1002/ddr.21202
Subject(s) - psoriasis , medicine , tumor necrosis factor alpha , rheumatoid arthritis , psoriatic arthritis , psoriasis area and severity index , immune system , peripheral , pathogenesis , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , immunology , gastroenterology , biology , biochemistry , in vitro
Postmarketing Phase IVPsoriasis was previously considered to be mostly a T h1 cell‐related disorder, but T h17 cell has recently emerged as an important player in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. The T h17 immune pathway is increased in psoriatic patients, both in peripheral circulation and in skin lesions, and positively correlates with the P soriasis A rea and S everity I ndex. Anti‐tumor necrosis factor alpha ( TNF ‐α) agents, in addition to potent inhibition of TNF ‐α activity, are able to decrease IL ‐17 levels and T h17 cells in the skin and plasma of patients with moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis. We found a decrease in the median T h17 cell count in peripheral blood after 4 months' therapy with anti‐ TNF ‐α compared with baseline values, but the difference did not reach statistical significance, probably due to the small cohort size. Our data suggest that anti‐ TNF ‐α treatment for psoriasis is able to achieve a substantial T h17 cell count reduction in the peripheral blood of patients and that this decrease is significantly associated with an adequate response to biologic therapy, as previous studies in rheumatoid arthritis have shown.