Therapeutics: Tumor necrosis factor (TNF); MAP kinase kinase kinase 7 (MAP3K7; TAK1)

Mouse studies suggest anti-TNF antibodies or antioxidants could help treat the genetic neurological disease incontinentia pigmenti. In mice, brain endothelial cell-specific knockout of MAP3K7 recapitulated CNS features of the disease, including endothelial cell death, blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption and epileptic seizures, and increased brain levels of TNF compared with normal expression of both genes. In the model, an anti-TNF antagonist or a tool antioxidant decreased brain endothelial cell death compared with a control antibody or no treatment. Next steps include additional preclinical studies to validate anti-TNF antibodies and antioxidants as therapeutics for incontinentia pigmenti and other diseases that disrupt the BBB...