Overview

Interleukin-27 is a member of the IL-6/IL-12 family that consists of two subunits: Epstein-Barr virus-induced molecule 3 (EBI3) subunit joined with the p28 subunit that signals through a receptor complex composed of IL-27Ra and glycoprotein 130 (gp130) subunits . Interleukin-27 is mainly produced by activated antigen-presenting cells including monocytes, endothelial cells and dendritic cells, and induces the development of naive T cells into Th1 cells and also has synergistic effects with IL-12 to trigger the synthesis of Th1 cytokine . (1,2)

In some auto-immune diseases such as Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) IL-27 and IL-33 levels are increased. These observations suggest that IL-27 and IL-33 may have a role in the pathogenesis of PM/DM. However, the roles of IL-27 and IL-33 in PM/DM disease are unknown and there is no data on IL-27 and IL-33 cytokines, and the relationship between these cytokines and risk factors of PM/DM. At present, laboratory parameters related to disease activity in PM/DM are still lacking. Potentially, serum levels of IL-27 and IL-33 could be disease biomarkers. (3,4)

 

Trials

In one study, serum IL-27 levels were significantly increased in patients with DM and PM in comparison to the healthy control group. The study of Shen et al. agreed that the level of IL-27 was significantly higher in patients with DM and PM compared with those of healthy control subjects. They observed significant correlations between serum IL-27 levels and CK levels, in a high CK level group of patients with IIM, particularly, in disease of PM Whereas no correlation was found between IL-27 and ESR, CRP serum levels. Studies have reported the involvement of IL-27 in collagen-induced arthritis. In another study, work of Cao et al.  showed that IL-27 is involved in the development of arthritis by inducing the differentiation of naive T cells to Th1 cells. All these observations along with the results of this study support the pro-inflammatory effect of IL-27, which maybe exerted through inducing differentiation of naive T cells to Th1 cells.

This  study confirmed the existence of higher levels of IL-27 in patients with PM/DM compared to healthy controls as previously reported by Shen et al. in China. This  results add to previous observations and give further evidence in favor of the regulatory role of IL-27 in these diseases.

Relevance

In conclusion, high serum levels of IL-27 provide further evidence for activation of inflammatory and immune response in patients with DM/PM. This suggested that IL-27 may have a pathological function in DM/PM and will be a valuable marker for diagnosis of DM/PM, and anti-IL-27 may be a useful agent for the treatment of DM/PM, which should be considered by future investigations.

 

Footnotes

1. Hak AE, de Paepe B, de Bleecker JL, Tak PP, de Visser M. Dermatomyositis and polymyositis: new treatment targets on the horizon. Neth J Med. 2011;69(10):410-21. [PubMed] 

 2. Castro C,. Diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory myopathy: issues and management. Ther Adv Musculoskelet Dis. 2012;4(2):111-20. [DOI] [PubMed] 

3. Sugiura T. Increased IL-15 production of muscle cells in polymyositis and dermatomyositis. Int Immunol. 2002;14(8):917-24. [PubMed] 

4. Mielnik P, Serum concentration of interleukin 15, interleukin 2 receptor and TNF receptor in patients with polymyositis and dermatomyositis: correlation to disease activity. Rheumatol Int. 2012;32(3):639-43. [DOI] [PubMed] 

 5. Villarino AV. Understanding the pro- and anti-inflammatory properties of IL-27. J Immunol. 2004;173(2):715-20. [PubMed]

6. Shen H, Xia L, Lu J. Pilot study of interleukin-27 in pathogenesis of dermatomyositis and polymyositis: associated with interstitial lung diseases. Cytokine. 2012;60(2):334-7. [DOI] [PubMed] 

7. Cao Y, Doodes PD, Glant TT, Finnegan A. IL-27 induces a Th1 immune response and susceptibility to experimental arthritis. J Immunol. 2008;180(2):922-30. [PubMed] 

8. Baek SH, Lee SG, Park YE, Kim GT, Kim CD, Park SY. Increased synovial expression of IL-27 by IL-17 in rheumatoid arthritis. Inflamm Res. 2012;61(12):1339-45. [DOI] [PubMed]