The Penn researchers found that IL-27 inhibits the immune system cells responsible for an array of inflammatory-related diseases, including encephalitis, arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and lupus.
Their findings, which appear in the online edition of Nature Immunology, suggest that IL-27 may be a useful target for treating a number of autoimmune diseases. The researchers believe that restoring or augmenting the abilities of IL-27 may be enough to halt inflammation.
In previous studies, the researchers found that the IL-27 cytokine limits the duration and intensity of white blood activation. Prior to their research, it was generally assumed that IL-27 promoted inflammation.
The findings open up the possibility that strategies that augment the effectiveness of IL-27 can be used therapeutically. The researchers suggest that the best route might be through using p28, a small active portion of the IL-27 molecule.
“It may be possible to use IL-27 or its active subunit in such a way that we can temper the immune system without suppressing the beneficial immune reactions,” noted Christopher Hunter, a professor in Penn School of Veterinary Medicine’s department of pathobiology.