The emerging role of Interleukin-26 in specific autoimmune diseases: A comparative review

Interleukin-26 (IL-26), a member of the IL-10 cytokine family, has recently garnered attention for its multifaceted roles in immune regulation and inflammation. Initially recognized for its antimicrobial and antiviral functions, IL-26 is increasingly implicated in the pathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases. This review explores the emerging role of IL-26 across a spectrum of autoimmune disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and multiple sclerosis (MS). IL-26 exerts proinflammatory effects by activating epithelial and myeloid cells, promoting Th17 responses, and amplifying cytokine and chemokine production. Elevated IL-26 levels in serum and affected tissues are consistently associated with disease activity and severity, suggesting its potential utility as a biomarker. Notably, IL-26 exhibits disease-specific functions-driving osteoclastogenesis in RA, enhancing epithelial inflammation in IBD, and showing dual roles in MS by both exacerbating and attenuating neuroinflammation. These diverse activities reflect the context-dependent nature of IL-26 signaling and underscore the complexity of targeting this cytokine therapeutically. Understanding IL-26's immunopathological contributions may pave the way for novel interventions aimed at modulating inflammatory responses in autoimmune settings.