The role of interleukin 17 in the pathogenesis of giant cell arteritis: new possibilities for pharmacotherapy

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) characterized by the paradoxical discrepancy between the high effectiveness of glucocorticoid (GCs) in the short term and the increase in signs associated with the persistence of inflammatory activity and the accumulation of organ damage induced by GCs in the long term, which indicates the need for the use of therapy, primarily in the direction of optimizing the use of GCs. New opportunities for pharmacotherapy of GCA are associated with the use of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that block the activity of cytokines involved in the immunopathogenesis of IMIRDs. Among pharmacological “targets”, interleukin (IL) 6, as well as IL-17, attracts special attention. Currently, several mAbs specific for IL-17 have been developed. The article summarizes data regarding the pathogenetic significance of IL-17 in GCA and the prospects for pharmacotherapy of GCA using mAbs to IL-17.