Case report: Exploring efficacy of tofacitinib in modulating interferon response in five case of anti-MDA5+ dermatomyositis with interstitial lung disease

A case report highlights the challenges faced in managing a 66-year-old Chinese woman diagnosed with anti-MDA5 antibody-positive dermatomyositis (MDA5-DM) complicated by rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease (RP-ILD). Despite aggressive therapeutic interventions, her condition rapidly deteri...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jie Zhao, Yan Bao, Ying Gao, Keliang Xie
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-02-01
Series:Frontiers in Immunology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1515602/full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832542326179758080
author Jie Zhao
Yan Bao
Ying Gao
Keliang Xie
author_facet Jie Zhao
Yan Bao
Ying Gao
Keliang Xie
author_sort Jie Zhao
collection DOAJ
description A case report highlights the challenges faced in managing a 66-year-old Chinese woman diagnosed with anti-MDA5 antibody-positive dermatomyositis (MDA5-DM) complicated by rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease (RP-ILD). Despite aggressive therapeutic interventions, her condition rapidly deteriorated, emphasizing the severity and devastating nature of this subtype of DM. A salient feature of her clinical presentation was the marked elevation of interferon (IFN)-γ and IFN-α levels, underscoring the pivotal role that IFNs play in driving the pathogenesis and progression of MDA5-DM-related RP-ILD. In an attempt to stem the relentless progression, tofacitinib, a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor, was applied into her treatment regimen. This therapeutic intervention led to a transient decrease in IFN-related cytokines, offering a glimpse of hope that JAK inhibition could modulate the exaggerated IFN response implicated in the disease. Other four similar cases underscore the critical importance of early and aggressive intervention in MDA5-DM patients, as well as the potential therapeutic avenues involving IFN blockers by JAK inhibitors. Urgent and well-designed clinical trials are imperative to unravel the intricate interplay between RP-ILD and the IFN signature in MDA5-DM, and to evaluate novel therapeutic targets that promise long-term efficacy and safety.
format Article
id doaj-art-aa3f057065a5457f9dd16c6d4f50b9f0
institution Kabale University
issn 1664-3224
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Immunology
spelling doaj-art-aa3f057065a5457f9dd16c6d4f50b9f02025-02-04T06:31:57ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Immunology1664-32242025-02-011610.3389/fimmu.2025.15156021515602Case report: Exploring efficacy of tofacitinib in modulating interferon response in five case of anti-MDA5+ dermatomyositis with interstitial lung diseaseJie ZhaoYan BaoYing GaoKeliang XieA case report highlights the challenges faced in managing a 66-year-old Chinese woman diagnosed with anti-MDA5 antibody-positive dermatomyositis (MDA5-DM) complicated by rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease (RP-ILD). Despite aggressive therapeutic interventions, her condition rapidly deteriorated, emphasizing the severity and devastating nature of this subtype of DM. A salient feature of her clinical presentation was the marked elevation of interferon (IFN)-γ and IFN-α levels, underscoring the pivotal role that IFNs play in driving the pathogenesis and progression of MDA5-DM-related RP-ILD. In an attempt to stem the relentless progression, tofacitinib, a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor, was applied into her treatment regimen. This therapeutic intervention led to a transient decrease in IFN-related cytokines, offering a glimpse of hope that JAK inhibition could modulate the exaggerated IFN response implicated in the disease. Other four similar cases underscore the critical importance of early and aggressive intervention in MDA5-DM patients, as well as the potential therapeutic avenues involving IFN blockers by JAK inhibitors. Urgent and well-designed clinical trials are imperative to unravel the intricate interplay between RP-ILD and the IFN signature in MDA5-DM, and to evaluate novel therapeutic targets that promise long-term efficacy and safety.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1515602/fullMDA5-DMRP-ILDtofacitinibinterferoncytokine
spellingShingle Jie Zhao
Yan Bao
Ying Gao
Keliang Xie
Case report: Exploring efficacy of tofacitinib in modulating interferon response in five case of anti-MDA5+ dermatomyositis with interstitial lung disease
Frontiers in Immunology
MDA5-DM
RP-ILD
tofacitinib
interferon
cytokine
title Case report: Exploring efficacy of tofacitinib in modulating interferon response in five case of anti-MDA5+ dermatomyositis with interstitial lung disease
title_full Case report: Exploring efficacy of tofacitinib in modulating interferon response in five case of anti-MDA5+ dermatomyositis with interstitial lung disease
title_fullStr Case report: Exploring efficacy of tofacitinib in modulating interferon response in five case of anti-MDA5+ dermatomyositis with interstitial lung disease
title_full_unstemmed Case report: Exploring efficacy of tofacitinib in modulating interferon response in five case of anti-MDA5+ dermatomyositis with interstitial lung disease
title_short Case report: Exploring efficacy of tofacitinib in modulating interferon response in five case of anti-MDA5+ dermatomyositis with interstitial lung disease
title_sort case report exploring efficacy of tofacitinib in modulating interferon response in five case of anti mda5 dermatomyositis with interstitial lung disease
topic MDA5-DM
RP-ILD
tofacitinib
interferon
cytokine
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1515602/full
work_keys_str_mv AT jiezhao casereportexploringefficacyoftofacitinibinmodulatinginterferonresponseinfivecaseofantimda5dermatomyositiswithinterstitiallungdisease
AT yanbao casereportexploringefficacyoftofacitinibinmodulatinginterferonresponseinfivecaseofantimda5dermatomyositiswithinterstitiallungdisease
AT yinggao casereportexploringefficacyoftofacitinibinmodulatinginterferonresponseinfivecaseofantimda5dermatomyositiswithinterstitiallungdisease
AT keliangxie casereportexploringefficacyoftofacitinibinmodulatinginterferonresponseinfivecaseofantimda5dermatomyositiswithinterstitiallungdisease