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Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Isolation and Th17 Differentiation of Naïve CD4 T Lymphocytes
Published on: September 26, 2013
Interleukin-17 as a drug target in human disease
1AstraZeneca R&D Lund, S-221 87 Lund, Sweden.
Abstract:
Interleukin (IL)-17 (now synonymous with IL-17A) is an archetype molecule for an entire family of IL-17 cytokines. Currently believed to be produced mainly by a specific subset of CD4 cells, named Th-17 cells, IL-17 is functionally located at the interface of innate and acquired immunity. Specifically, it induces the release of chemokines and growth factors from mesenchymal cells and is now emerging as an important local orchestrator of neutrophil accumulation in several mammalian organs. Furthermore, there is growing evidence that targeting IL-17 signaling might prove useful in a variety of diseases including asthma, Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis, psoriatric disease and rheumatoid arthritis. Here, we summarize the key aspects of the biology of IL-17 in mammals and scrutinize the potential pharmacological use of targeting IL-17 in humans.
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