Targeted depletion of lymphotoxin-α–expressing T H 1 and T H 17 cells inhibits autoimmune disease

B cell–depleting antibodies have therapeutic efficacy against arthritis. Here Jane Grogan and her colleagues report a new approach to depleting pathogenic T cells. They show that lymphotoxin-α is upregulated on the surface of activated T H 1 and T H 17 CD4 + cells, which have a pathogenic role in several autoimmune diseases, and a monoclonal antibody targeted to lymphotoxin-a can inhibit collagen-induced arthritis and EAE in mice ( pages 732–733 ).