Emerging roles of the Th17/IL-17-axis in glomerulonephritis

- Th17 cells and its secreted cytokine IL-17 drive glomerulonephritis.
- Th17-IL-17-axis regulates inflammatory events in the nephritic kidney.
- Targeting Th17/IL-17-axis is a promising treatment option for glomerulonephritis.

Different T cell subsets have been implicated in the pathogenesis of glomerulonephritis. Several lines of evidence indicate the recently identified interleukin-17 (IL-17)-producing T cells (Th17 cells) to be involved in the renal inflammatory cascade associated with glomerulonephritis. In this review we outline different forms of glomerulonephritis and the contribution of the Th17/IL-17-axis in mediating the downstream effects and pathology associated with the disease. Learning more about the Th17/IL-17-axis can help to develop promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of various forms of glomerulonephritis.