A closer look at chemokines and their role in asthmatic responses.
Inflammatory cell recruitment is a hallmark phenomenon of all inflammatory diseases, including allergic asthma. In allergy and asthma, recruitment of inflammatory cells such as T cells, dendritic cells, mast cells, eosinophils and neutrophils, is mediated via a number of chemokines and their receptors. Not only are chemokines involved in recruitment of these cells, they also play a role in activation and differentiation of inflammatory cells, among others, by selectively activating Th1 or Th2 cells or by effects on epithelial or endothelial cells. Binding of chemokines with their receptors has been demonstrated to be highly promiscuous and the subsequent activation pattern on effector cells is very heterogeneous, which has lead to confusion and has complicated research in this field. Nonetheless, chemokines and their receptors are important potential therapeutical targets in allergy and asthma because of their central role in cell recruitment and activation during inflammation.
Smit
Joost J
JJ
Department of Pathology, UM Medical School, 5214 Medical Science I, 1301 Catherine Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0602, United States of America. jetses@umich.edu
Lukacs
Nicholas W
NW
D000818:Animals; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D001596:Benzylamines; D018925:Chemokines / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D000080027:Cyclams; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000276:immunology; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000276:immunology; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D001596:Benzylamines; D018925:Chemokines; D000080027:Cyclams; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine; C088327:plerixafor