The IL-23–IL-17 axis in inflammatory arthritis

The IL-23–IL-17 axis is critically involved in the development of autoimmunityTissue-specific IL-17A expression exacerbates tissue damage and disease chronicityThe roles of IL-23 and IL-17 at different stages in the development and progression of rheumatoid arthrits (RA) and spondyloarthritis needs further investigationGreater understanding of the role of the IL-23–IL-17 axis in RA as opposed to psoriatic arthritis and psoriasis is neededEarly combination therapy neutralizing both TNF activity and the IL-17/TH17 pathway might be a successful approach to achieving stable remission in patients with autoimmune disease and might even prevent disease development