PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The discovery of Toll-like receptors has generated much interest in understanding the impact of innate immunity on adaptive immune responses, including allergic diseases. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent studies suggest that Toll-like receptor pathways may mediate interactions between dendritic cells, T lymphocytes and mast cells, thus modulating allergic immune responses. Toll-like receptor signaling triggers dendritic cell maturation, which primes naive T lymphocytes towards specific T helper cell types 1 and 2 immune responses. Although a T helper cell type 1/2 balance may be important in modulating allergic responses, T regulatory cells that suppress certain immune responses may be critical in immune regulation. SUMMARY: With the identification of different subsets of dendritic cells and the discovery of Toll-like receptors on T regulatory cells and mast cells, the manipulation of Toll-like receptor signaling may lead to novel therapeutic options in allergic diseases.
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The discovery of Toll-like receptors has generated much interest in understanding the impact of innate immunity on adaptive immune responses, including allergic diseases. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent studies suggest that Toll-like receptor pathways may mediate interactions between dendritic cells, T lymphocytes and mast cells, thus modulating allergic immune responses. Toll-like receptor signaling triggers dendritic cell maturation, which primes naive T lymphocytes towards specific T helper cell types 1 and 2 immune responses. Although a T helper cell type 1/2 balance may be important in modulating allergic responses, T regulatory cells that suppress certain immune responses may be critical in immune regulation. SUMMARY: With the identification of different subsets of dendritic cells and the discovery of Toll-like receptors on T regulatory cells and mast cells, the manipulation of Toll-like receptor signaling may lead to novel therapeutic options in allergic diseases.
Authors: Bianca Schaub; Abdelouahab Bellou; Fiona K Gibbons; German Velasco; Monica Campo; Hongzhen He; Yurong Liang; Matthew W Gillman; Diane Gold; Scott T Weiss; David L Perkins; Patricia W Finn Journal: J Interferon Cytokine Res Date: 2004-09 Impact factor: 2.607