title: Interleukin-13: central mediator 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. mkarp@welchlink.welch.jhu.edu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wills-Karp
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Luyimbazi
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schofield
authors.forename: T Y
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Neben
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Karp
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Donaldson
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D004804:Eosinophils; D020397:Goblet Cells / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D053661:Interleukin-13 Receptor alpha1 Subunit; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000502:physiology; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008805:Mice, Inbred A; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin / Q000502:physiology; D053660:Receptors, Interleukin-13; D019948:Receptors, Interleukin-4 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; C508181:IL13RA1 protein, human; C508183:Il13ra1 protein, mouse; D018793:Interleukin-13; D053661:Interleukin-13 Receptor alpha1 Subunit; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin; D053660:Receptors, Interleukin-13; D019948:Receptors, Interleukin-4; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D010047:Ovalbumin