The role and therapeutic targeting of IL-6 in rheumatoid arthritis

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune chronic disease with joint and systemic inflammation and it has been found that interleukin-6 (IL-6) plays a key role in RA. Indeed, various clinical studies have proved that the first-in-class IL-6 inhibitor, tocilizumab, a humanized anti-IL-6 receptor monoclonal antibody, showed outstanding efficacy in RA.

Areas covered: We review here the role of IL-6 in the inflammatory conditions and how IL-6 contributes to pathogenesis of RA, what induces IL-6 and how IL-6 expression is regulated. Furthermore, clinical studies of tocilizumab for RA are summarized,

Expert commentary: We review and discuss the prospects for future applications of IL-6 targeting therapy and new therapeutic strategies targeting IL-6. Finally, we discuss relevant issues with regard to the clinical management of IL-6 blockade in RA.

KEYWORDS:

• Cytokine
• interleukin-6
• tocilizumab
• rheumatoid arthritis
• inflammation
• pathogenesis

Declaration of interest

T Kishimoto holds a patent for tocilizumab and has received royalties for Actemra. T Tanaka has received a grant and payment for lectures including service on speaker’s bureaus from Chugai Pharmaceutical Co Ltd, the Department of Clinical Application of Biologics of Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine and is an endowment department, supported with an unrestricted grant from Chugai Pharmaceutical Co Ltd. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Additional information

Funding

This article was not funded.