Interleukin‐13 in asthma pathogenesis

M Wills‐Karp - Immunological reviews, 2004 - Wiley Online Library
Bronchial asthma is a complex disorder that is thought to arise as a result of aberrant T‐
lymphocyte responses to noninfectious environmental antigens. In particular, the symptoms
of asthma are closely associated with the presence of activated T‐helper 2 cell (Th2)
cytokine‐producing cells [interleukin (IL)‐4, IL‐5, IL‐9, and IL‐13] in the airway wall.
Although each of the Th2 cytokines likely contributes to the overall immune response
directed against environmental antigens, a substantial body of evidence points to a singular …

Interleukin-13 in asthma

M Wills-Karp, M Chiaramonte - Current opinion in pulmonary …, 2003 - journals.lww.com
Some time ago, the Th2 cytokine, interleukin (IL)-13, was identified as a critical regulator of
the allergic response. Initial studies in animal models of disease provided compelling
evidence that IL-13, independent from other Th2 cytokines, was necessary and sufficient to
induce all features of allergic asthma. This contention was supported in human disease
when strong associations between IL-13 levels and genetic polymorphisms in the IL-13
gene and disease correlates were found. With the preponderance of evidence continuing to …