Detection of antibody mediated inflammatory auto-immune disorders

摘要

The present invention describes a novel therapy to modulate the connective tissue pathologies associated with Graves' disease ophthalmopathy and other antibody-mediated inflammatory auto-immune diseases. The therapy comprises administering to a patient suffering from an antibody-mediated inflammatory auto-immune disorder an Interleukin 16 (IL-16) activity inhibitor and/or a RANTES activity inhibitor in order to decrease the proliferation of CD4-bearing leukocytes at the site of the disease. Especially preferred IL-16 activity inhibitor for use in the therapeutic methods of the present invention are rapamycin and PD098059, and an especially preferred RANTES inhibitor for use in the present invention is compound SB203580.