IL-17A (CBX5) stimulates the production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6. Evidences have been shown that IL-17A plays important roles in multiple autoimmune and immune-mediated inflammatory diseases, such as psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). IL-17 function is also essential to a subset of CD4+ T-Cells called T helper 17 (Th17) cells. As a result of these roles, the IL-17 family has been linked to many immune/autoimmune related diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, lupus, allograft rejection, anti-tumor immunity and recently Psoriasis (1, 2). Therefore, TH17 cells and IL-17A have been a hot study topic recently in the field of immunology.

Reference:

• 1. Weaver CT, Hatton RD, Mangan PR, Harrington LE. IL-17 family cytokines and the expanding diversity of effector T cell lineages. (2007) Annu Rev Immunol. 25:821–52.
• 2. Aggarwal S, Gurney AL et al. IL-17: prototype member of an emerging cytokine family. (2002) J. Leukoc.Biol. 71(1):1–8.