Vasculitis & polymyalgia rheumatica
The IL-6 axis in vascular inflammation: effects of IL-6 receptor blockade on vascular lesions from patients with giant-cell arteritis
Authors' conclusion
Tocilizumab has a significant impact on vascular lesions by reducing, but not abrogating, key molecules involved in PBMC recruitment.
Study context
- Population
- Temporal arteries, aortic tissue and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with giant-cell arteritis (GCA); control arteries
- Comparison
- Tocilizumab vs no tocilizumab in ex vivo-cultured GCA arteries and PBMCs; IL-6 receptor expression in GCA vs control arteries
- Outcome
- Expression of IL-6 receptor in GCA and control arteries and impact of tocilizumab on ex vivo-cultured temporal arteries and aortic tissue from patients with GCA
Methodological detailshypothesis-driven, candidate molecule transcriptomic approach, ex vivo temporal artery and aortic tissue culture
- Hypothesis-driven, candidate molecule transcriptomic approach
- Ex vivo temporal artery and aortic tissue culture
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- IL-6 receptor protein expressed intensively in GCA vs control arteries
- Tocilizumab decreased expression/phosphorylation of STAT3 and reduced STAT3-dependent molecules (suppressor of cytokine signalling 3, CCL-2, ICAM-1) in cultured GCA-involved arteries and patients' PBMCs
- Similar trend in aortic tissue
- Tocilizumab reduced PBMC adhesiveness to vascular smooth muscle cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells and chemotaxis towards supernatants of tocilizumab-treated GCA arteries
- In some specimens, tocilizumab increased STAT1 phosphorylation and expression of STAT1-dependent chemokines including CXCL9 and CXCL10
Original publication
The IL-6 axis in vascular inflammation: effects of IL-6 receptor blockade on vascular lesions from patients with giant-cell arteritis. Ann Rheum Dis. Published 11 March 2025. doi:10.
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