title: The balance of Th1/Th2 cytokines in rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: It has been suggested that rheumatoid inflammation is mediated by activated pro-inflammatory T helper type I cells. In contrast, immunomodulatory T helper type 2 cells and their cytokines, in particular interleukin-4, are rarely found. This chapter reviews the concept of the Th1/Th2 dichotomy and summarizes the functions of the signature cytokines of the T helper subsets. We discuss current knowledge of the immunopathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis and its related animal model, collagen induced arthritis, with regard to the Th1/Th2 paradigm. The accumulating evidence for a T helper type 1 driven inflammation and the implications for future therapy are delineated.
authors.affiliation: Nikolaus Fiebiger Center for Molecular Medicine, Clinical Research Group III and Department of Internal Medicine III and Institute for Clinical Immunology, Glueckstrasse 6, Erlangen, 91054, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schulze-Koops
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kalden
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000276:immunology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D016207:Cytokines