Targeting interleukin-13 with tralokinumab attenuates lung fibrosis and epithelial damage in a humanized SCID idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis model

LA Murray, H Zhang, SR Oak, AL Coelho… - American journal of …, 2014 - atsjournals.org
LA Murray, H Zhang, SR Oak, AL Coelho, A Herath, KR Flaherty, J Lee, M Bell, DA Knight
American journal of respiratory cell and molecular biology, 2014atsjournals.org
The aberrant fibrotic and repair responses in the lung are major hallmarks of idiopathic
pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Numerous antifibrotic strategies have been used in the clinic with
limited success, raising the possibility that an effective therapeutic strategy in this disease
must inhibit fibrosis and promote appropriate lung repair mechanisms. IL-13 represents an
attractive target in IPF, but its disease association and mechanism of action remains
unknown. In the present study, an overexpression of IL-13 and IL-13 pathway markers was …
The aberrant fibrotic and repair responses in the lung are major hallmarks of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Numerous antifibrotic strategies have been used in the clinic with limited success, raising the possibility that an effective therapeutic strategy in this disease must inhibit fibrosis and promote appropriate lung repair mechanisms. IL-13 represents an attractive target in IPF, but its disease association and mechanism of action remains unknown. In the present study, an overexpression of IL-13 and IL-13 pathway markers was associated with IPF, particularly a rapidly progressive form of this disease. Targeting IL-13 in a humanized experimental model of pulmonary fibrosis using tralokinumab (CAT354) was found to therapeutically block aberrant lung remodeling in this model. However, targeting IL-13 was also found to promote lung repair and to restore epithelial integrity. Thus, targeting IL-13 inhibits fibrotic processes and enhances repair processes in the lung.
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