AUTOPHAGY, BUT NOT THE UNFOLDED PROTEIN RESPONSE, REGULATES THE EXPRESSION OF IL-23 IN THEGUT OF PATIENTS WITH ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS AND SUBCLINICAL GUT INFLAMMATION

Background: IL-23 is a heterodimeric cytokine that has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS). High serum and tissue levels for this cytokine have been demonstrated in AS and correlated with entheseal inflammation but the mechanisms responsible for its over-expression are currently not clear. Objectives: The aim of the study was to clarify the immunological mechanisms underlying the increased IL-23 expression in the gut of AS patients. Methods: Consecutive gut biopsies from 20 HLA-B27+ AS patients and 10 normal subjects were considered for the present study. The occurrence of HLA-B27 misfolding was studied by assessing the co-localization of HLA-B heavy chains (H…