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Recent advances in cytokines in cutaneous and systemic lupus erythematosus
Author(s) -
MIKITA Naoya,
IKEDA Takaharu,
ISHIGURO Mariko,
FURUKAWA Fukumi
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
the journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.9
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1346-8138
pISSN - 0385-2407
DOI - 10.1111/j.1346-8138.2011.01237.x
Subject(s) - immunology , pathogenesis , medicine , immune system , lupus erythematosus , systemic disease , disease , tumor necrosis factor alpha , autoimmune disease , systemic lupus erythematosus , interleukin , connective tissue disease , cytokine , immunopathology , pathology , antibody
Lupus erythematosus (LE) includes a broad spectrum of diseases from a cutaneous‐limited type to a systemic type. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disease which affects multiple organs. Cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) includes skin symptoms seen in SLE and cutaneous‐limited LE. Although immune abnormalities, as well as heritable, hormonal and environmental factors, are involved in the pathology of LE, the actual pathogenesis is still unclear. Recently, the involvement of various cytokines has been shown in the pathogenesis of LE. Moreover, some trials with biological agents targeted specific cytokines are also ongoing for SLE. In this article, we review the contributions of major cytokines such as interferon, tumor necrosis factor‐α and interleukin‐18 to LE, especially SLE and CLE.