title: Co-stimulatory molecules as potential targets for therapeutic intervention in allergic airway disease.
abstract: Airway inflammation is a characteristic feature of allergic asthma. Central to the initiation and progression of the inflammatory process are allergen-specific T lymphocytes that attract eosinophils, mast cells, and B cells to the airways by the secretion of specific cytokines. The direction of T cell responses is influenced by co-stimulatory signals that modulate the antigen-specific signal delivered by the T cell receptor. In addition to the prototypic co-stimulatory molecule, CD28, a number of newly identified co-stimulatory molecules and their ligands have now been characterized. Over the past 5 years, the role of these molecules in the pathophysiology of allergen-mediated sensitization and airway inflammation has been extensively studied in animal models of allergic asthma. The aim of this review is to provide a detailed overview on recent studies in mice and preliminary findings in man and to discuss the potential therapeutic and preventive treatment strategies offered by interactions with co-stimulatory molecules for patients with allergic airway diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Pneumology and Immunology, University Hospital Charité, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kallinich
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Beier
authors.forename: E W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Gelfand
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Kroczek
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hamelmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology*; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity; D018106:CD28 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D060889:Inducible T-Cell Co-Stimulator Protein; D008024:Ligands; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D023421:Models, Animal; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D018106:CD28 Antigens; D016207:Cytokines; C556692:ICOS protein, human; C556694:Icos protein, mouse; D060889:Inducible T-Cell Co-Stimulator Protein; D008024:Ligands