Crucial role of interleukin-7 in T helper type 17 survival and expansion in autoimmune disease

Variation in the IL-7 receptor is associated with susceptibility to multiple sclerosis. Jingwu Zhang and his colleagues provide an explanation. They show that the cytokine IL-7 regulates the surival and proliferation of T helper type 17 cells—a cell type known to be involved in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. The findings suggest that IL-7 antagonism could be useful in individuals with autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (pages 166–168).