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Pathogenesis of Allergic Airway Inflammation

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Abstract

Advances have been made in defining the mechanisms for the control of allergic airway inflammation in response to inhaled antigens. Several genes, including ADAM33, DPP10, PHF11, GPRA, TIM-1, PDE4D, OPN3, and ORMDL3, have been implicated in the pathogenesis and susceptibility to atopy and asthma. Growing evidence associates asthma with a systemic propensity for allergic T-helper type 2 cytokines. Disordered coagulation and fibrinolysis also exacerbate asthma symptoms. Balance among functionally distinct dendritic cell subsets contributes to the outcome of T-cell-mediated immunity. Allergen-specific T-regulatory cells play a pivotal role in the development of tolerance to allergens and immune suppression. The major emphasis on immunotherapy for asthma during the past decade has been to direct the immune response to a type 1 response, or immune tolerance. In this review, we discuss the current information on the pathogenesis of allergic airway inflammation and potential immunotherapy, which could be beneficial in the treatment of airway inflammation, allergy, and asthma.

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Acknowledgment

This work was supported by National Institutes of Health grants HL070885, AI075315, and HL086680.

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  1. Center for Clinical and Translational Science, Creighton University School of Medicine, CRISS II, Room 510, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE, 68178, USA

    Devendra K. Agrawal & Zhifei Shao

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Correspondence to Devendra K. Agrawal.

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Agrawal, D.K., Shao, Z. Pathogenesis of Allergic Airway Inflammation. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 10, 39–48 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11882-009-0081-7

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