Scientists Uncover A Role for IL-17A in COPD exacerbation
A new study by MIRC researchers and collaborators establishes a critical role for the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-17A in the detrimental airway inflammation associated with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) [...]
A new study by MIRC researchers and collaborators establishes a critical role for the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-17A in the detrimental airway inflammation associated with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The paper by Dr. Abraham Roos and senior author, Professor Martin Stampfli, was published on August 15, 2015 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (AJRCCM), a high-impact publication issued by the American Thoracic Society. The study adopts a translational approach to determine the expression and functional role of IL-17A in COPD exacerbation.
COPD is a severe disease affecting up to 2.6 million Canadians. Disease progression is escalated by acute exacerbation. While respiratory pathogens such as nontypable Haemophilus influenzae have been shown to cause COPD flare-ups, the precise mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis have not been fully characterized. As a consequence, the currently available treatment options that effectively target the inflammation, and prevent the onset of exacerbation, are limited. Roos et al. found a significantly increased expression of IL-17A during NTHi-associated exacerbation, compared to stable COPD. Roos and collegues furthermore demonstrate that IL-17A is required for NTHi-exacerbated neutrophil recruitment in an experimental model of cigarette smoke-induced inflammation. Targeting IL-17A , however, did not influence the bacterial load, suggesting that neutralizing anti-IL-17A antibodies may be clinically relevant in reducing the severity of COPD flare-ups without impairing host defenses.
The study was conducted by an international team of scientists and clinicians, and is part of a research effort characterizing the multi-faceted role of IL-17A in COPD.
The article is available online at the AJRCCM website.
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