Abstract
Presentation Description :
Eye related rheumatic diseases are common and are associated with a broad cross-section of autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases. Nonetheless, the pathogenesis of ocular inflammatory diseases is not well-understood, with treatment approaches based on very sparse clinical trials and expert opinions. The inflammatory cytokine interleukin 9 (IL-9) is classically considered a type 2, or allergic, cytokine but has recently been implicated in multiple autoimmune diseases. Preclinical data suggest that IL-9, which is largely produced by T helper 9 (Th9) cells, may be involved in inflammatory eye disease and could represent a potential therapeutic target. This talk will review the evidence supporting Th9/IL-9 in the pathogenesis of rheumatic diseases that can have ocular involvment, including seronegative spondyloarthropathies, rheumatoid arthritis, vasculitis, and others.
This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.