Kitasato Symposium 2009: New Prospects for Cytokine Inhibition

Gerd R Burmester,The Kitasato Meeting Faculty ,Peter E Lipsky,Thomas Dörner

doi:10.1186/ar2857

Gerd R Burmester, The Kitasato Meeting Faculty + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/ar2857

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Abstract

The Kitasato Symposium 2009: New Prospects for Cytokine Inhibition was held in Berlin, Germany from 7 to 9 May 2009. The key aims of this meeting were to bring together a group of front-line researchers and rheumatologists to evaluate the use of cytokine blockade and to examine the role of certain cytokines in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases. A keynote lecture delivered by Professor Jean-Michel Dayer provided an up-to-date overview of the interactions occurring between the immune system and acute phase proteins. Other speakers discussed the role of cytokines in rheumatoid arthritis, including their role in joint destruction, as well as their regulatory role upon T cells and B cells. The involvement of cytokines in other autoimmune diseases was also addressed.

Highlights

During May 2009 the first Kitasato meeting was held at the Palais am Festungsgraben, Berlin in memory of Professor Shibasaburo Kitasato (1853–1931), who worked in Berlin between 1885 and 1892 together with Robert Koch, Emil von Behring and other scientists
The key aims of this meeting were to bring together a group of front-line researchers and rheumatologists to evaluate the use of cytokine blockade and to examine the role of certain cytokines in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases
The results provide a rationale for IFNβ as a therapeutic target for intra-articular gene therapy for arthritis

Summary

Introduction

During May 2009 the first Kitasato meeting was held at the Palais am Festungsgraben, Berlin in memory of Professor Shibasaburo Kitasato (1853–1931), who worked in Berlin between 1885 and 1892 together with Robert Koch, Emil von Behring and other scientists. The role of two cytokines that belong to the TNFα family – B-cell activating factor (BAFF), which plays a role in the development and survival of autoreactive B-cells, and a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL), which promotes B-cell activation and survival together with the humoral immune response – were considered during a presentation by Professor Thomas Dörner (Berlin, Germany). Both BAFF and APRIL have been found to be elevated in autoimmune diseases such as RA, systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjögren’s syndrome, autoimmune thrombocytopenia and autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 1, and so have become potential therapeutic targets. After noting that IL-21 is elevated in individuals with systemic lupus [60], Professor Lipsky speculated on the possible benefit to these individuals of effective IL-21 blockade

Conclusions

Findings

15. Dinarello CA