Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Immune stimulation in scleroderma patients treated with thalidomide.

S J Oliver1, A Moreira, G Kaplan

  • 1The Laboratory of Cellular Physiology and Immunology, Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10021, USA.

Clinical Immunology (Orlando, Fla.)
|October 12, 2000
PubMed
Summary

Thalidomide treatment in scleroderma (SSc) patients showed immune stimulation and clinical improvements, including reduced skin fibrosis and healing of digital ulcers. Further research is needed to confirm long-term benefits of this immune response enhancement.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Decalogue of the Declaration of Salamanca: Advancing Undergraduate Education in Allergy and Clinical Immunology Across Europe.

Allergy·2026
Same author

Impact of body composition on airway inflammation: analyzing FeNO z-scores in non-asthmatic school-aged children using GAMLSS modeling.

European annals of allergy and clinical immunology·2026
Same author

Correspondence: The First Biosimilar for Biologics in Allergy: CT-P39 (Omlyclo-Omalizumab-Igec) Is Available for Asthma, Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria, and Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyps.

Allergy·2026
Same author

The Unmet Need of Olfactory Testing in Inflammatory Disorders of the Upper Airways-An EAACI Position Paper.

Allergy·2026
Same author

Comparative Evaluation of 3D-Printed Resins for Single-Tooth Dental Crowns - Provisional and Permanent: A Scoping Review.

The European journal of prosthodontics and restorative dentistry·2025
Same author

Geometric and dosimetric impact of inter-professional contour variability in the upper abdomen for MR-linac.

Journal of medical imaging and radiation sciences·2025

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Rheumatology
  • Dermatology

Background:

  • Scleroderma (SSc) is a fibrosing connective tissue disease with limited treatment options.
  • SSc shares similarities with chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), where thalidomide has shown efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the immune response and clinical effects of thalidomide in SSc patients.
  • To explore thalidomide's potential as a treatment for SSc.

Main Methods:

  • An open-label, dose-escalating, 12-week study involving 11 SSc patients treated with thalidomide.
  • Analysis of skin biopsies, plasma cytokine levels, and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) responses.
  • Assessment of clinical outcomes including skin condition, gastroesophageal reflux, and digital ulcers.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Thalidomide treatment led to decreased skin fibrosis and increased CD8(+) T cells in SSc skin biopsies.
  • Elevated plasma levels of IL-12 and TNF-alpha were observed, while IL-5 and IL-10 remained unchanged.
  • Clinical improvements included reduced dry skin, dermal edema, and healing of digital ulcers, alongside decreased reflux symptoms.

Conclusions:

  • Thalidomide appears to induce immune stimulation in SSc patients, correlating with observed clinical changes.
  • The study suggests a potential therapeutic role for thalidomide in SSc, possibly through immune modulation.
  • Long-term efficacy and benefits of thalidomide-induced immune enhancement in SSc require further investigation.