| Literature DB >> 16329644 |
Abstract
We pioneered anticytokine therapy (ACT) for autoimmune diseases (ADs). In 1974, we proposed that hyperproduced interferon (IFN) can bring AD and anti-IFN can be therapeutic. In 1989, we proposed removing tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha together with certain types of IFN to treat various ADs. We found IFN in patients with different ADs and conducted the first clinical trial of ACT in 1975. Anti-IFN-gamma and anti-TNF-alpha work in similar ways, but the latter brings serious complications in some patients. We obtained good, sometimes striking, therapeutic effects treating many different Th-1-mediated ADs with anti-IFN-gamma, including rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis (MS), corneal transplant rejection, and various autoimmune skin diseases such as psoriasis, alopecia areata, vitiligo, acne vulgaris, and others. Anti-IFN-gamma was in some ways superior to anti-TNF-alpha, which was ineffective in MS. Anti-IFN-gamma therapy holds great promise for treating many Th-1 ADs, especially skin diseases.Entities:
Mesh:
Substances:
Year: 2006 PMID: 16329644 DOI: 10.1007/3-540-37673-9_1
Source DB: PubMed Journal: Ernst Schering Res Found Workshop ISSN: 0947-6075