Mechanistic insights into the antipruritic effects of lebrikizumab, an anti-IL-13 mAb.

BACKGROUND

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with persistent and severe itch among its hallmark features. Significant increases in type 2 cytokines (ie, IL-4, IL-13, IL-31) have been documented in acute atopic dermatitis lesions and lead to multifaceted downstream effects, including inflammation, epidermal barrier dysfunction, and itch.

OBJECTIVE

The primary objective of preclinical studies reported here was to test direct effects of IL-13 and an anti-IL-13 mAb, lebrikizumab, in a human dorsal root ganglion model in itch amplification, neuronal excitability, and transcriptional downstream targets.

METHODS

Neuroactive effects were assessed via live cell calcium imaging, electric field stimulation, and RNA sequencing of human dorsal root ganglia stimulated with IL-13 alone or in combination with lebrikizumab.

RESULTS

These preclinical findings suggest that IL-13 plays a direct enhancer role in multiple itch and neuroactive pathways as well as transcriptional downstream effects, and provide key insights into the mechanistic basis for lebrikizumab's anti-itch effects.

CONCLUSION

IL-13 is a potent enhancer of neuronal responses to different itch stimuli, consistent with the neuroimmune axis contributing to chronic itch-associated inflammatory skin disease, and blockade of this cytokine pathway may provide a therapeutic approach.