Interleukin-6 as a potential therapeutic target for pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Abstract

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine with a wide range of biologic activities in immune regulation, hematopoiesis, inflammation, and oncogenesis. Recent accumulating evidence indicates a pathologic role for IL-6 in promoting proliferation of both smooth muscle and endothelial cells in the pulmonary arterioles, resulting in development of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Here, we describe a patient with mixed connective tissue disease and severe, refractory PAH. Her functional activity and hemodynamic parameters dramatically responded to tocilizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody to human IL-6 receptor, which was aimed at treating multicentric Castleman's disease. It appears that IL-6 blockade may hold promise as an adjunct drug in treatment of PAH in idiopathic form as well as in association with connective tissue disease.

• Authors: Yoshiaki Furuya, Toru Satoh, Masataka Kuwana
• Journal: International journal of rheumatology (Int J Rheumatol) Vol. 2010 Pg. 720305 ( 2010) ISSN: 1687-9279 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 20981316 (Publication Type: Journal Article)