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Query: UMLS:C0003864 (arthritis)
 69,039 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Cytokines may exert anti-inflammatory properties, allowing the hypothesis of their potential therapeutic use. Targeting the cytokines balance may modify the course of subsequent inflammatory events in an autoimmune disease. Many data are available. Interferon-gamma can be blocked by an anti-interferon-gamma monoclonal antibody: if the treatment is administered in the early phase of an autoimmune disease such as collagen-induced arthritis, the course of the disease is worsened; if the treatment is given later, the disease can be improved; these results are mirrored by treatment with high doses of the cytokine itself. Pharmacologic effects of antiinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10 or IL-13 are a protection against several experimental autoimmune diseases. The very short half-life of cytokines makes them difficult and expensive to use directly; in such occurrence, high quantities have to be frequently injected. In this context, gene therapy appears as an effective alternative solution: the transfection of cells with cytokines genes (e.g. either IL-4 or IL-13) then the engraftment of these vectors in animals, permit the in vivo secretion of high levels of cytokines, and result in the protection of the animals from the development of the disease.
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PMID:[Treatment of inflammation with anti-inflammatory cytokines: example in models of auto-immune diseases]. 856 71

The effect of anti-interleukin (IL-12 treatment on Lyme borreliosis in C3H/HeN (C3H) mice was assessed because other studies have implicated CD4+ T cell helper (Th) type 1 responses in the genesis of disease caused by Borrelia burgdorferi. Infection of inbred mice with B. burgdorferi results in varying degrees of arthritis: BALB/c mice develop mild disease and C3H mice develop severe arthritis that is most pronounced 2-4 wk after infection. Since IL-12 is a major inducer of Th1 responses, we blocked this cytokine in vivo in B. burgdorferi infected C3H mice, and evaluated the effects of treatment on the development of arthritis at the peak of acute joint inflammation (14 d) and in the resolution phase (60 d) of disease. As expected, intraperitoneal administration of an anti-IL-12 monoclonal antibody (mAb) to C3H mice resulted in a decrease in both IFN-gamma and B. burgdorferi-specific IgG2a in serum, indicative of diminished Th1 responses. No IL-4 production was detected in serum of anti-IL-12 mAb treated or control mice. IgG1 and IgG2b levels did not increase in B. burgdorferi infected mice treated with anti-IL-12 mAb compared with controls suggesting that Th2 responses were not affected. Nevertheless, CD4+ T cells from both control and anti-IL-12 mAb treated mice had similar in vitro responses to B. burgdorferi antigens. Treatment with anti-IL-12 mAb produced a significant reduction in peak arthritis severity, and an increase in the number of spirochetes in ear tissue. These data show that treatment of B. burgdorferi infected mice with anti-IL-12 mAb results in a reduction of the Th1 and/or innate immune responses in vivo and a reduction in the severity of acute murine Lyme arthritis.
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PMID:Effect of anti-interleukin 12 treatment on murine lyme borreliosis. 861 25

Decreased systemic immune responsiveness to a specific antigen following exposure to that antigen by the enteric route is termed 'oral tolerance.' Oral tolerance is revealed when attempts are made to parenterally immunize the host to the same antigen that was previously administered orally or intragastrically. A similar phenomenon is also seen following antigen exposure via the nasal mucosa and a related phenomenon is seen following antigen exposure in the upper respiratory tract. There has been a marked renewal of interest in the mechanisms that underlie oral tolerance because of its potential role for preventing and treating autoimmune and inflammatory diseases and IgE-mediated allergic disorders. The specific factors that determine whether or not the host develops mucosal tolerance to an antigen administered by the mucosal route are also of substantial importance for those involved in mucosal vaccine development. Furthermore, putative abnormalities in the ability of the host to develop mucosal tolerance may play a pathogenetic role in certain autoimmune and allergic diseases and disorders. Several well-defined immunological mechanisms mediate oral tolerance. These include the induction, following mucosal antigen exposure, of regulatory populations of T-cells that can down-regulate specific immune responses (e.g. DTH) via the production of specific cytokines (e.g. TGF-beta 1, IL-10 and IL-4). In addition, clonal anergy, clonal deletion and antibody-mediated suppression can be shown to play a role in the induction and maintenance of mucosal tolerance in several experimental systems. In animal studies, the onset of collagen-induced, adjuvant-induced, antigen-induced and pristane-induced arthritis has been delayed and the severity of ongoing disease diminished following feeding collagen type II. Mucosal tolerance has been clearly demonstrated in humans and clinical studies have been undertaken to treat rheumatoid arthritis using a similar approach. Results of initial clinical studies in rheumatoid arthritis indicated a modest improvement and further studies are ongoing in this and other autoimmune diseases (e.g. multiple sclerosis, autoimmune uveitis and insulin-dependent diabetes). This approach, if successful, could offer a new and novel therapeutic modality for preventing autoimmune and allergic disorders, and modulating ongoing disease.
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PMID:Oral tolerance: mechanisms and possible role in inflammatory joint diseases. 867 48

It is hypothesized that the balance of cytokines produced by Th1/Th2 subsets of T helper cells plays an important role in the development of autoimmune diseases. Murine collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) is an example of an autoimmune disease in which immunization with cartilage-derived type II collagen induces, firstly, a T cell response to type II collagen and, secondly, the manifestation of a destructive inflammatory response in affected joints. We have investigated the role of Th1/Th2 responses in the development of CIA by monitoring levels of interferon (IFN)-gamma (a Th1 cytokine) and interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10 (Th2 cytokines), and IL-1 beta and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) (pro-inflammatory cytokines) produced by cultured draining lymph node cells (LNC) from collagen-immunized DBA/1 mice during the induction phase of arthritis and throughout the time of clinical manifestation and subsequent remission of the disease. Although a transient increase in IL-10 was detected 3 days after immunization, Th2 cytokine production was found to be almost completely suppressed 6 days after immunization. In contrast, IFN-gamma was detected in LNC cultures as early as 6 days after immunization and the addition of type II collagen to the culture medium resulted in an approximately 10-fold increase in IFN-gamma production, indicating that a predominantly Th1 response had become established by this time. IFN-gamma production by LNC was found to be further increased at the time of clinical manifestation of arthritis and could be up-regulated by co-culture with type II collagen. IL-10 was not detected in LNC cultures at the onset of arthritis and IL-4, although present, was found to be markedly suppressed in LNC cultures containing type II collagen. These findings indicate that Th1 responses are predominant at the time of onset of arthritis and that the activation of collagen-specific Th1 cells may result in suppression of Th2 activity. IFN-gamma production declined progressively during the progression and subsequent remission of arthritis whereas levels of IL-10 increased and low, though persistent, levels of IL-4 were detected throughout this period. High levels of IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha production were detected at the onset of the disease. The role of Th1 responses in the development of CIA was further emphasized by the observation that immunization of mice with type II collagen in incomplete Freund's adjuvant, which normally fails to induce arthritis, resulted in a predominantly Th2 cytokine profile.
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PMID:Relationship between Th1/Th2 cytokine patterns and the arthritogenic response in collagen-induced arthritis. 876 54

CD4+ T cells play a key role in the development of cell-mediated autoimmune diseases, and their modulation has been used to prevent autoimmune diseases in animal models. The effect of the nondepleting anti-CD4 mAb (KT6) was investigated in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in DBA/1 mice and in adoptive transfer of CIA into SCID mice. KT6 (200 microg/dose/mouse) was administered systematically from the day of collagen type II (CII) immunization and continued by alternate-day injection until day 11. Only 20% of KT6-treated mice developed arthritis compared with 100% of the isotype control treated mice (p < 0.001). KT6 treatment in a similar regimen also abrogated the adoptive transfer of CIA into SCID mice. Serum levels of IgG2a anti-CII Abs in KT6-treated DBA/1 mice were significantly reduced (p < 0.001), while IgG1 anti-CII were not significantly changed (p > 0.05). Lymph node cells of mice treated in vivo with KT6 had a reduced production of IFN-gamma but increased IL-4 upon in vitro challenge with CII. Furthermore, KT6 could also reverse the profile of cytokine release of in vivo primed and pathogenic CII-specific T cells. These results demonstrate that in vivo modulation with nondepleting anti-CD4 Abs prevents CIA, likely by altering the functional profile of Th1 T cells to Th2. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this treatment can not only prevent, but more importantly also control pathogenic T cells by switching their cytokine production from a Th1 to a Th2-like profile. Our results thus provide compelling evidence of how treatment with nondepleting anti-CD4 may control an autoimmune process. They also indicate that this approach not only prevents, but also could control ongoing autoimmune diseases.
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PMID:Induction of Th2 cytokines and control of collagen-induced arthritis by nondepleting anti-CD4 Abs. 880 74

For a series of immunological diseases including asthma, inflammatory arthritis and experimental allergic encephalomyelitis the non-classical major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genetics of man and mouse has been making rapid progress. Information is available not only for the disease associations of individual candidate genes but also from the first genome scans. In both species the proinflammatory cytokine genes and/or their related receptors and inhibitors (IL-1, IL-1r, IL-1ra, IL-2, IL-6r, TNF-alpha), and to a lesser extent the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-4 are implicated as candidate control elements. In contrast, genes for the signalling and adhesion CD molecules have so far been inconspicuous. Most of the polymorphisms so far detected have been in the regulatory sequences of these genes, rather than in the exons. It is suggested that the benefit conferred on an individual by greater flexibility in its immunoregulatory machinery may be responsible for maintaining this form of polymorphism.
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PMID:Non-classical-MHC genetics of immunological disease in man and mouse. The key role of pro-inflammatory cytokine genes. 889 33

The anti-inflammatory effects of the recently identified cytokine interleukin (IL)-13 on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) was explored and compared to those of IL-4 using systemic administration of these cytokines via two injections of xenogeneic vector cells transfected with a plasmid construct. CIA was induced in DBA/I mice by immunization with native bovine type II collagen (CII). Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) fibroblasts transfected with the mouse IL-13 or IL-4 genes were inoculated subcutaneously on days 10 and 25 post-priming with CII and mice were monitored for signs of arthritis by observers unaware of the status of the animal. Incidence and severity of CIA were significantly reduced in the groups of mice treated with IL-13 and IL-4 gene-transfected CHO cells compared to control groups receiving nontransfected cells. Expression of various cytokines in spleen cells from individual mice was assessed by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction at different times after immunization. Our data show that IL-13-induced suppression of CIA coincided with a decreased TNF-alpha mRNA expression in the spleen of treated animals. This may explain at least partially the anti-inflammatory effects of IL-13 in CIA. Thus, our results may have important implications for the clinical use of T helper (Th)1/TH2 modulatory cytokines as therapeutic agents in the treatment of autoimmune diseases.
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PMID:Attenuation of collagen-induced arthritis in mice by treatment with vector cells engineered to secrete interleukin-13. 889 52

The cytokine network participates in the modulation of the immune system. Furthermore, the formation of the cytokine-receptor complex, as well as the transcription, translation, secretion, or degradation of cytokines interfere with the functions of cytokines. Cytokine inhibitors include antagonists, soluble receptors, cytokine-binding proteins, and cytokines that block other cytokines. In autoimmune diseases, an abnormal production of proinflammatory cytokines, or a reduced inhibition of their actions, may lead to an imbalance. The main cytokine inhibitors include interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), soluble IL-1 receptor (sIL-1R), soluble TNF-alpha receptors (soluble TNF-Rs), and certain cytokines, such as IL-4, TGF beta, and IL-10. The combination of cytokine inhibitors is a potential therapeutic approach in the treatment of immunoinflammatory diseases. The nonspecific effects of immunosuppressive drugs are improved by using inhibitors with more specific actions on the functions of proinflammatory cytokines.
Semin Arthritis Rheum 1996 Oct
PMID:Cytokine inhibitors in autoimmune disease. 891 98

Rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by a mononuclear infiltrate in the synovial tissue of the affected joints, considerable thickening of the synovial lining layer and concomitant destruction of cartilage and bone. Macrophages probably play a central role and the contribution of the synovial lining macrophages is addressed in studies in experimental murine arthritis models. Emphasis is given to the involvement in arthritis expression and cartilage destruction. The role of TNF-alpha and IL-1, and the modulatory cytokines IL-4/ IL-10 is briefly discussed.
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PMID:The role of macrophages in chronic arthritis. 893 61

Recent studies have demonstrated that the treatment of mice with anti-gp39 antibodies impairs T-cell functions in the murine collagen type II-induced arthritis model, in acute semi-allogenic graft-versus-host disease, and in the allo-specific CTL-reaction, that is, reactions that are believed to be mediated by Th1-type T cells. On the other hand, the administration of anti-gp39 antibody did not influence Th2 T-cells responses, suggesting that CD40-CD40L interactions are more crucial for Th1 than Th2 T-cell development. Recent studies also demonstrate that dendritic cells (DC) are capable of driving a Th1 T-cell response that is mediated by IL-12. In addition, stimulation of CD40 on human monocytes results in IL-12 production, suggesting that activated T cells expressing CD40L may directly induce the production of IL-12 by antigen-presenting cells, thus allowing for the generation of a Th1 T-cell response in the absence of intracellular pathogens. We investigated whether the CD40-CD40L interaction was important in the production of IL-12 by DCs in an in vitro system that allowed precise control of cytokine concentrations. Initially we showed that FACS-purified mouse spleen DCs produce high amounts of IL-12 p40 in response to CD40 crosslinking by CD40L-expressing fibroblasts. We then demonstrate that DCs also produce IL-12 p40 in a more physiologic system using purified DCs pulsed with ovalbumin (OVA) and then cultured with LECAM-1hi T cells from ovalbumin T-cell receptor transgenic mice. Finally, we show that IL-10 has a potent capacity to shut down CD40-induced IL-12 p40 secretion; and, in addition, IL-4 partially inhibits CD40-induced IL-12 p40 secretion and enhances IL-10-mediated inhibition in an additive fashion. We also investigated the in vivo relevance of this interaction in an experimental model for a Th1-mediated disease, the hapten reagent (TNBS)-induced colitis. The administration of anti-gp39 (CD40L) antibodies during the induction phase of the Th1 response completely prevented IFN-gamma production by CD4 T cells from the intestinal lamina propria and also the clinical and histological evidence of disease. In further studies we showed that the prevention of disease activity was due to an inhibition of IL-12 secretion. Thus, the injection of recombinant IL12 p75 heterodimer into TNBS + anti-gp39-treated mice reversed the effect of anti-gp39 and resulted in severe disease activity. In conclusion, these findings suggest that DCs produce IL-12 in response to CD40 signaling, that a mechanism by which IL-4 may induce Th2 development is by acting with IL-10 to inhibit IL-12 production by DCs, and that the CD40L-CD40 interaction is crucial for the IL-12-dependent priming of Th1 T cells in vivo.
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PMID:Interleukin-12 production by dendritic cells. The role of CD40-CD40L interactions in Th1 T-cell responses. 895 22


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