Interleukin-17 as a novel erythropoiesis stimulating agent

Anemia occurs in multiple clinical settings, including cancer, chronic inflammation or kidney disease, increasing morbidity and mortality. Existing treatments are limited to erythropoietin (Epo) and to glucocorticoids. Glucocorticoids have severe side effects, while Epo is contra-indicated in cancer-associated anemia, and is ineffective in conditions such as myelodysplastic syndrome. To address this gap, we undertook single-cell RNA-sequencing of early erythroid progenitors (Tusi et al., Nature 2018). We discovered they express an interleukin-17 receptor (Il-17ra); that IL-17a enhances the erythroid response to Epo, through an Il-17ra-dependent high affinity interaction, in both human and mouse cultures; and we have preliminary evidence of efficacy in vivo. Here we will determine how to translate these findings to the stimulation of erythropoiesis in vivo.