scispace - formally typeset
Open AccessJournal Article

Interleukin-13: Central mediator of allergic asthma

TLDR
In this article, the type 2 cytokine IL-13, which shares a receptor component and signaling pathways with IL-4, was found to be necessary and sufficient for the expression of allergic asthma.
Abstract
The worldwide incidence, morbidity, and mortality of allergic asthma are increasing. The pathophysiological features of allergic asthma are thought to result from the aberrant expansion of CD4 + T cells producing the type 2 cytokines interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-5, although a necessary role for these cytokines in allergic asthma has not been demonstrable. The type 2 cytokine IL-13, which shares a receptor component and signaling pathways with IL-4, was found to be necessary and sufficient for the expression of allergic asthma. IL-13 induces the pathophysiological features of asthma in a manner that is independent of immunoglobulin E and eosinophils. Thus, IL-13 is critical to allergen-induced asthma but operates through mechanisms other than those that are classically implicated in allergic responses.

read more

Citations
More filters
Journal ArticleDOI

Effect of tiotropium bromide on airway inflammation and remodelling in a mouse model of asthma

TL;DR: Tiotropium bromide, a long acting muscarinic receptor inhibitor, is a potent agent for patients with bronchial asthma as well as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Journal ArticleDOI

The R576 IL-4 receptor α allele correlates with asthma severity☆☆☆★

TL;DR: R576IL-4Rα acts as an allergic asthma susceptibility and disease-modifying gene and may serve as a clinically useful marker of asthma severity, suggesting a gene dosage effect.
Journal ArticleDOI

Animal models of asthma: value, limitations and opportunities for alternative approaches

TL;DR: A disease modelling framework designed to better understand human asthma, and accelerate the development of safe and efficacious new asthma drugs that go beyond symptomatic relief is suggested.
References
More filters
Journal ArticleDOI

Functional diversity of helper T lymphocytes.

TL;DR: The existence of subsets of CD4+ helper T lymphocytes that differ in their cytokine secretion patterns and effector functions provides a framework for understanding the heterogeneity of normal and pathological immune responses.
Journal ArticleDOI

Predominant TH2-like bronchoalveolar T-lymphocyte population in atopic asthma

TL;DR: Atopic asthma is associated with activation in the bronchi of the interleukin-3, 4, and 5 and GM-CSF gene cluster, a pattern compatible with predominant activation of the TH2-like T-cell population.
Journal ArticleDOI

Eosinophilic inflammation in asthma.

TL;DR: Eosinophilic inflammation of the airways is correlated with the severity of asthma and these cells are likely to play a part in the epithelial damage seen in this disease.
Journal ArticleDOI

Requirement for IL-13 Independently of IL-4 in Experimental Asthma

TL;DR: This article showed that IL-4 receptor α chain-dependent pathway may underlie the genetic associations of asthma with both the human 5q31 locus and the IL4 receptor and showed that selective neutralization of IL-13, a cytokine related to interleukin-4 that also binds to the α chain of the IL 4 receptor, ameliorated asthma phenotype.
Journal ArticleDOI

Cellular events in the bronchi in mild asthma and after bronchial provocation.

TL;DR: It is concluded that allergic asthma is accompanied by extensive inflammatory changes in the airways, even in mild clinical and subclinical disease.
Related Papers (5)