Taniguchi Takashi, Asano Yoshihide, Fukasawa Takemichi, Yoshizaki Ayumi, Sato Shinichi
Department of Dermatology, University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
J Dermatol. 2017 Aug;44(8):967-971. doi: 10.1111/1346-8138.13827. Epub 2017 Mar 24.
Reflecting the critical role of interleukin (IL)-6 in systemic sclerosis (SSc), tocilizumab, an anti-IL-6 receptor antibody, is currently under a global phase III trial against skin sclerosis of this disease. We here demonstrate that the IL-6/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 axis is broadly activated in various cell types in the lesional skin of SSc patients irrespective of disease subtypes, especially in endothelial cells. Importantly, 12 monthly infusions of tocilizumab improved nailfold capillary changes as well as skin sclerosis in a patient with diffuse cutaneous SSc. The present findings suggest a potential disease-modifying effect of tocilizumab on SSc vasculopathy.
鉴于白细胞介素（IL）-6在系统性硬化症（SSc）中起关键作用，抗IL-6受体抗体托珠单抗目前正在进行一项针对该病皮肤硬化的全球III期试验。我们在此证明，无论疾病亚型如何，IL-6/信号转导子和转录激活子3轴在SSc患者皮损的各种细胞类型中广泛激活，尤其是在内皮细胞中。重要的是，对一名弥漫性皮肤型SSc患者每月输注12次托珠单抗改善了甲襞毛细血管变化以及皮肤硬化。目前的研究结果提示托珠单抗对SSc血管病变具有潜在的疾病改善作用。
