Type I interferon blockade in systemic lupus erythematosus: where do we stand?

• Published in: Rheumatology (Oxford, England) Vol. 53; no. 8; pp. 1369 - 1376
• Main Authors: Lauwerys, Bernard R, Ducreux, Julie, Houssiau, Frédéric A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.08.2014
• Subjects: Antibodies, Monoclonal - therapeutic use; Humans; Interferon Type I - antagonists & inhibitors; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - drug therapy; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - immunology; Receptor, Interferon alpha-beta - antagonists & inhibitors; type I interferon; systemic lupus erythematosus; interferon-alpha; rontalizumab; sifalimumab; interferon blockade; interferon-alpha kinoid
• ISSN: 1462-0332
• DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/ket403

SLE is an autoimmune condition characterized by loss of tolerance to chromatin constituents and the production of ANAs. The majority of SLE patients display spontaneous expression of type I IFN-induced genes in circulating mononuclear cells and peripheral tissues, and type I IFNs play a role in the pathogenesis of the disease via the sustained activation of autoreactive T and B cells necessary for the production of pathogenic autoantibodies. Several IFN-blocking strategies are currently being evaluated in clinical trials: monoclonal antibodies directed against IFN-α and type I IFN-α receptor (IFNAR), as well as active immunization against IFN-α. This review describes the rationale behind these trials and the results obtained, and discusses the perspectives for further development of these drugs.