The forefront of cytokines and chemokines in autoimmune diseases

Abstract

The treatment of autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis （RA）, has been transformed by the advent of molecular targeted drugs. In the past several years, therapeutic applications of molecular target medications have also started to be made for RA and other collagen illnesses. While existing therapeutic agents, such as steroids and immunosuppressive drugs, target nonspecifically, molecular target drugs exert their effects by inhibiting cytokines or cytokine signaling. However, enough patients have not obtained remission in RA and other collagen diseases, and the role of cytokines in pathogenesis remains unclear. Based on the findings of current investigations, we shall describe cytokines and chemokines in this article and how they relate to autoimmune illnesses. In particular, fractalkine/CX3CL1, the only CX3 chemokine, has been shown to be expressed in many autoimmune diseases and to be involved in their pathogenesis. Recent topics related to this topic include （1） the ADAM family and （2） post-translational modifications, which are believed to be involved in the soluble activation of the extracellular domain of cytokines and chemokines and in the activation of selectin family members as adhesion factors on the cell surface. Members of the ADAM family have correlated with disease activities in illnesses, including inflammatory muscle disorders and interstitial pneumonia, particularly RA, and to be expressed in pathological situations that cause inflammation and are connected to angiogenesis. Next-generation antibody drugs presently under development include glycosylated antibodies, bispecific antibodies, and small molecule antibodies. The role of cytokines in collagen diseases, such as RA, systemic lupus erythematosus （SLE）, inflammatory muscle diseases, and Sjögren’s syndrome, will be discussed, as well as new therapeutic agents in clinical practice. In recent years, the clinical use of molecular target medicines that target cytokines has increased, particularly in SLE. Additionally, a summary of the most recent findings from clinical studies on the interaction between cytokines and interferon will be provided.