Recombinant IL-6 treatment protects mice from organ specific autoimmune disease by IL-6 classical signalling-dependent IL-1ra induction

Unni Krishna S.R.L. Samavedam*, Kathrin Kalies, Jürgen Scheller, Hengameh Sadeghi, Yask Gupta, Marcel F. Jonkman, Enno Schmidt, Jürgen Westermann, Detlef Zillikens, Stefan Rose-John, Ralf J. Ludwig

*Corresponding author for this work

Abstract

Cytokines are key regulators of physiological inflammatory responses, while aberrant cytokine expression contributes to pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. We noted increased IL-6 levels in human and murine epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA), a prototypic organ-specific autoimmune bullous dermatoses (AIBD) induced by autoantibodies to type VII collagen (COL7). In contrast to rheumatoid arthritis, blockade of IL-6 led to strikingly enhanced experimental EBA, while treatment with recombinant IL-6 was protective. This was due to classical IL-6 signalling and independent of IL-6 trans-signalling, as treatment of mice with sgp130Fc had no impact on EBA manifestation. Induction of EBA in mice led to increased IL-1ra levels in skin and serum, while blockade of IL-6 completely inhibited IL-1ra expression induced by autoantibodies to COL7. In line, treatment of mice with EBA with recombinant IL-6 induced IL-1ra concentrations exceeding those of untreated animals with EBA, and IL-1ra (anakinra) administration significantly impaired experimental EBA induction. We here identified a novel anti-inflammatory pathway in an organ-specific autoimmune disease. Modulation of this IL-1ra pathway by classical IL-6 signalling demonstrates anti-inflammatory and protective activities of IL-6 in vivo.

Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Autoimmunity
Volume40
Issue number1
Pages (from-to)74-85
Number of pages12
ISSN0896-8411
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 01.02.2013

Funding

We thank Prof. Cem Gabay and Dr. Celine Lamacchia (Division of Rheumatology, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland) for critical discussion and providing primer sequences for IL-1ra. This study was supported by the following grants: Excellence Cluster “Inflammation at Interfaces” ( EXC306/1 ), Graduiertenkolleg “Modulation of Autoimmunity” ( GRK1727/1 ) and LU877/5-1 , all provided by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft , as well as Focus Program “Autoimmunity” at the University of Lübeck and the Doktor Robert-Pfleger Foundation . The contribution of JS and SRJ was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SFB877, projects A1, A2). Appendix A

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
    SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

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