Anticytokine Therapy, Especially Anti-Interferon-?, as a Pathogenetic Treatment in TH-1 Autoimmune Diseases
Abstract: We pioneered anticytokine therapy (ACT) in 1974 and 1989, proposing to remove interferon (IFN) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-? together with IFNs to treat various autoimmune diseases, including AIDS. This hypothesis was confirmed in different laboratories and opened a new line to produce and test different anticytokines. We have had good, sometimes striking results treating various Th1-mediated autoimmune diseases, including inflammatory skin diseases, using anti-IFN-? and sometimes anti-TNF-?. Anti-IFN-? may be a universal treatment for these conditions. Because TNF-? inhibitors, now successfully used in certain autoimmune disorders, have many severe side effects, there are opportunities for the development of other ACT and TNF-? antagonists with fewer side effects.
anticytokine therapy autoimmune diseases aids inflammatory skin diseases th1 cytokines interferon-? tumor necrosis factor-? inhibitors