Th2 cells as targets for therapeutic intervention in allergic bronchial asthma

Expert Rev Mol Diagn. 2009 Jan;9(1):85-100.

Th2 cells as targets for therapeutic intervention in allergic bronchial asthma.

Wegmann M. Bereich Experimentelle Pneumologie, Forschungszentrum Borstel, Leibniz-Zentrum für Medizin und Biowissenschaften, Parkallee 1, D-23845 Borstel, Germany. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Th2 cells play a central role in the pathogenesis of allergic bronchial asthma, since each of their characteristic cytokines such as IL-4, IL-5, IL-9 and IL-13 contributes to hallmarks of this disease, including airway eosinophilia, increased mucus production, production of allergen-specific IgE and development of airway hyper-responsiveness. Therefore, these cells are predisposed as target cells for therapeutic intervention. Experimental approaches targeted Th2-type effector cytokines, Th2-cell recruitment and Th2-cell development. Another strategy uses the immunomodulatory potential of tolerance-inducing cytokines such as IL-10 or of cytokines such as IL-12, IL-18 and IFN-gamma that are able to induce a counterbalancing Th1 immune response.

PMID: 19099351 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]