New Immunosuppressive Therapies in Uveitis Treatment

Int J Mol Sci. 2015 Aug 11;16(8):18778-95. doi: 10.3390/ijms160818778.

Abstract

Uveitis is an inflammatory process that initially starts in the uvea, but can also affect other adjacent eye structures, and is currently the fourth cause of blindness in developed countries. Corticoids are probably the most widespread treatment, but resorting to other immunosuppressive treatments is a frequent practice. Since the implication of different cytokines in uveitis has been well demonstrated, the majority of recent treatments for this disease include inhibitors or antibodies against these. Nevertheless, adequate treatment for each uveitis type entails a difficult therapeutic decision as no clear recommendations are found in the literature, despite the few protocolized clinical assays and many case-control studies done. This review aims to present, in order, the mechanisms and main indications of the most modern immunosuppressive drugs against cytokines.

Keywords: antibody; corticoids; cytokines; immunosuppressive; uveitis.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adrenal Cortex Hormones / pharmacology
  • Adrenal Cortex Hormones / therapeutic use
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / pharmacology
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / therapeutic use
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Eye / immunology
  • Eye / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Immunologic Factors / pharmacology
  • Immunologic Factors / therapeutic use
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / pharmacology
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use*
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / metabolism
  • Uveitis / drug therapy*
  • Uveitis / immunology*
  • Uveitis / metabolism

Substances

  • Adrenal Cortex Hormones
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Cytokines
  • Immunologic Factors
  • Immunosuppressive Agents