Abnormalities in Th17 T cells in aplastic anemia

In this issue of Blood, Peffault de Latour et al demonstrate that interleukin-17 (IL-17)-producing Th17 T cells are increased in the peripheral blood and bone marrow of patients with aplastic anemia, compared with healthy controls. They also provide evidence that IL-17 contributes to the severity of marrow failure at an early stage. This work advances our overall understanding of the mechanisms of immune-mediated hematopoietic suppression and may ultimately have important clinical implications for the treatment of aplastic anemia.