Important immunoregulatory role of interleukin-11 in the inflammatory process in rheumatoid arthritis.

Journal article

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possible immunoregulatory role of interleukin-11 (IL-11) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: IL-11 protein was assayed in RA tissue, and the effect of exogenous IL-11 on neutralization of endogenous IL-11 was investigated with respect to tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP) production. RESULTS: IL-11 was found in RA synovial membranes, synovial fluids, and blood sera. Blockade of endogenous IL-11 resulted in a 2-fold increase in TNFalpha levels, which increased to 22-fold if endogenous IL-10 was also blocked. Addition of exogenous IL-11 inhibited spontaneous TNFalpha production in RA synovium only in the presence of soluble IL-11 receptor. However, exogenous IL-11 directly inhibited spontaneous MMP-1 and MMP-3 production, and up-regulated TIMP-1 in RA synovial tissue. CONCLUSION: IL-11 has important endogenous immunoregulatory effects in RA synovium, which suggests that exogenous IL-11 may have therapeutic activity in RA.

Authors: Hermann, J; Hall, M; Maini, R; Feldmann, M; Brennan, F

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Arthritis and rheumatism
• Volume: 41
• Issue: 8
• Pages: 1388-1397
• Publication date: 1998-08-01
• DOI: 10.1002/1529-0131(199808)41:8<1388::aid-art7>3.0.co;2-f
• EISSN: 1529-0131
• ISSN: 0004-3591
• Language: English
• Keywords: Monocytes; Solubility; Drug Interactions; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; Adjuvants, Immunologic; Humans; Synovial Fluid; Receptors, Interleukin; Synovial Membrane; Cells, Cultured; Cytokines; Interleukin-11; Interleukin-1; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Fibroblasts; Inflammation Mediators; Interleukin-10; Enzyme Inhibitors; Metalloendopeptidases; Recombinant Proteins