Therapeutic potential of IL-27 in multiple sclerosis?

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating neurological disease, characterized by inflammatory demyelination and axonal degeneration in the CNS. Currently approved therapies are partially effective, however safer and more effective treatments are needed. Objective/methods: To assess the therapeutic potential of the heterodimeric cytokine, IL-27 in MS, based on the current literature. Results/conclusions: IL-27 exerts profound anti-inflammatory effects in several infectious and experimental autoimmune models. In particular, suppressive effects on helper T cells, which are implicated in the pathogenesis of MS, suggest that IL-27 may be therapeutically relevant in MS. However, while exciting discoveries have been made, further work is required particularly in human health and disease, to understand the diverse roles of IL-27 and its therapeutic potential.