The possible role of interleukin-35 and its therapeutic potential in pemphigus

Abstract

© 2016 Elsevier B.V. Pemphigus is an autoimmune disease that causes blistering and is life-threatening if left untreated. Nowadays, finding a promising treatment for pemphigus remains a serious challenge. Various treatments are currently recommended to treat this disease, but they rarely lead to complete and durable remission. Regulatory cells appear to have a critical role in numerous autoimmune diseases, so it is possible that promotion of these cells may induce remission. This study presents a new approach to treating pemphigus that has not been discussed to date. This approach introduces interleukin (IL)-35 as a new treatment for pemphigus. This cytokine could induce two different types of regulatory cell, including IL-35-that produces induced regulatory T cells and IL-35 + regulatory B cells, which could suppress both effector T cells and effector B cells. It seems that IL-35 may act as an efficient therapeutic strategy for pemphigus. It probably limits progression of the disease and may even contribute to long-lasting remission. However, further study is required to evaluate the efficacy and safety of treating pemphigus with IL-35.