Regulation of airway innate and adaptive immune responses: the IL-17 paradigm.
IL-17 is a proinflammatory cytokine produced by immune cells. Its significance in host defense and disease development has been demonstrated in various infection and autoimmune models. Recently, additional studies have shown that IL-17 is also important in modulating airway immune response in several aspects. Along with the well-established Th1/Th2 model, new discoveries regarding the Th17 lineage and IL-17 functions have added an extra twist to the already complicated cytokine network that regulates airway immunity. The IL-17 receptor is expressed on blood cells, as well as on structural cells such as the epithelial cells in the airway. Therefore, the effect of IL-17 on airway immunity is very broad, covering both the innate and the adaptive aspects. In this review, we summarize the findings of recent studies on IL-17 signaling and function in pulmonary immune response, and the implications of IL-17 in disease pathogenesis.
Hung
Li-Yin
LY
Center for Comparative Respiratory Biology and Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
Velichko
Sharlene
S
Huang
Fei
F
Thai
Philip
P
Wu
Reen
R
D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000502:physiology*; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology*; D053722:Receptors, Interleukin-17 / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction
D020381:Interleukin-17; D053722:Receptors, Interleukin-17