The molecular level influence of tocilizumab administration in patients with systemic sclerosis

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24591444
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: 膠原病・アレルギー・感染症内科学
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: SHIMA Yoshihito 大阪大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 助教 (90362706)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TANAKA Toshio 大阪大学, 大学院医学系研究科抗体医薬臨床応用学, 寄附講座教授 (40273651)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 全身性強皮症 / サイトカイン / interleukin-6 / 抗IL-6受容体抗体 / tocilizumab

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is thought to play a part of role in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis. To know the influence of anti-interleukin 6 receptor antibody tocilizumab (TCZ) which can inhibit the function of IL-6 to the patients with systemic sclerosis, we conduct a clinical trial using TCZ. We analyzed 23 kinds of cytokines, chemokines in the sera of the entry patients to know the effect of TCZ. The patients who showed decrease of skin score presented transiently augmentations of IL-6, IL-8, IL-1beta, and MIP-1alfa. They also presented decrease of IL-10、IL-12、and IL-9 parallel to decrease of their skin score. We have not found out the correlation between the IL-6 level before initiating TCZ and the changes of skin score. The decreasing cytokines may be noteworthy to make a new treatment strategy.

Free Research Field

リウマチ膠原病学