Cytokines and anti-cytokine biologicals in autoimmunity: present and future

The increasing understanding of the role of cytokines in autoimmunity, and the observation that tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα) is central to the inflammatory and destructive process common to several human autoimmune diseases, has led to a new generation of therapeutics, the TNFα blocking agents. I...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cytokine & growth factor reviews 2002-08, Vol.13 (4), p.299-313
Main Authors: Andreakos, Evangelos T, Foxwell, Brian M, Brennan, Fionula M, Maini, Ravinder N, Feldmann, Marc
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Anti-Inflammatory Agents - pharmacology
Anti-Inflammatory Agents - therapeutic use
Antibodies, Monoclonal - therapeutic use
Arthritis, Rheumatoid - drug therapy
Arthritis, Rheumatoid - metabolism
Autoimmune Diseases - drug therapy
Autoimmune Diseases - metabolism
Autoimmunity
Autoimmunity - drug effects
Clinical Trials as Topic
Cytokine
Cytokines - antagonists & inhibitors
Cytokines - physiology
Double-Blind Method
Etanercept
Forecasting
Humans
Immunoglobulin G - therapeutic use
Immunosuppressive Agents - pharmacology
Immunosuppressive Agents - therapeutic use
Infliximab
Matrix Metalloproteinases - biosynthesis
Matrix Metalloproteinases - genetics
Mice
NF-kappa B - metabolism
NF-κB
Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor - therapeutic use
Rheumatoid arthritis
Self Tolerance
TNF
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - antagonists & inhibitors
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Summary:The increasing understanding of the role of cytokines in autoimmunity, and the observation that tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα) is central to the inflammatory and destructive process common to several human autoimmune diseases, has led to a new generation of therapeutics, the TNFα blocking agents. In this article, we review the current knowledge of the role of cytokines in autoimmunity as unravelled by studies both in the laboratory and the clinic. In addition, we discuss future prospects of the anti-TNFα therapy that may involve combination therapy with other anti-cytokine or anti-T cell biologicals, or the use of small chemicals targeting molecules involved in TNFα production such as NF-κB and p38 MAPK. The future developments of anti-TNFα and anti-cytokine therapy in general will be interesting.
ISSN:1359-6101
DOI:10.1016/S1359-6101(02)00018-7