New insights into mechanisms of immunoregulation in 2007

Substantial progress in understanding the mechanisms of immune regulation in allergic diseases and asthma has been made during the last year. In asthma, rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis the immune system is activated by allergens, autoantigens, and components of superimposed infectious agents. Immune regulation in the lymphatic organs and in the tissue has an important role in the control and suppression of allergic disease in all stages of the inflammatory process, such as cell migration to tissues, cells gaining an inflammatory and tissue-destructive phenotype in the tissues, and their interaction with resident tissue cells to augment the inflammation. After the discovery of regulatory T cells, the importance of their unique suppressive capacity was strongly emphasized for the suppression of effector T-cell responses. However, it seems that all 3 subsets of effector TH1, TH2, and TH17 cells, as well as regulatory T cells, regulate each other at the level of transcription, major cytokines, and surface molecules. This review highlights key advances in immune regulation that were published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

Key words: Immune regulation, regulatory T cells, effector T-cell responses

Abbreviations used: AD, Atopic dermatitis, AHR, Airway hyperreactivity, BALF, Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, CC10, Clara cell 10-kd protein gene, COPD, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, DC, Dendritic cell, EIB, Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction, FGF, Fibroblast growth factor, FOX, Forkhead box, ICOS, Inducible costimulator, IPEX, Immune dysregulation, polyendocrinopathy, enteropathy, X-linked, OVA, Ovalbumin, SHP, src homology 2 domain–containing protein tyrosine phosphatase, SIT, Specific immunotherapy, SOCS, Suppressor of cytokine signaling, SR, Steroid resistant, STAT, Signal transducer and activator of transcription, TACI, Transmembrane activator and calcium modulator and cyclophilin ligand interactor, TLR, Toll-like receptor, Treg, Regulatory T, TSLP, Thymic stromal lymphopoietin