Dendritic Cells: Critical Regulators of Allergic Asthma

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Maria Semitekolou¹  Ioannis Morianos¹ 

[1] Cellular Immunology Laboratory, Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11525 Athens, Greece;

关键词: allergic asthma;    dendritic cells;    pulmonary tolerance;    cytokines;    activin-A;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijms21217930

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Allergic asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), chronic airway inflammation, and excessive T helper (Th) type 2 immune responses against harmless airborne allergens. Dendritic cells (DCs) represent the most potent antigen-presenting cells of the immune system that act as a bridge between innate and adaptive immunity. Pertinent to allergic asthma, distinct DC subsets are known to play a central role in initiating and maintaining allergen driven Th2 immune responses in the airways. Nevertheless, seminal studies have demonstrated that DCs can also restrain excessive asthmatic responses and thus contribute to the resolution of allergic airway inflammation and the maintenance of pulmonary tolerance. Notably, the transfer of tolerogenic DCs in vivo suppresses Th2 allergic responses and protects or even reverses established allergic airway inflammation. Thus, the identification of novel DC subsets that possess immunoregulatory properties and can efficiently control aberrant asthmatic responses is critical for the re-establishment of tolerance and the amelioration of the asthmatic disease phenotype.

【 授权许可】

Unknown