title: The role of eosinophils in allergic airway inflammation.
abstract: Eosinophils have long been observed in the airways of patients with allergic asthma, and in animal models of allergic airway inflammation. Traditionally thought to be an end stage cell that is controlled by the T cell response, more recent findings suggest a more complicated role for these cells. Here we discuss the role of eosinophils in allergic inflammation, and recent findings that suggest an important role in the initiation of allergic airway inflammation. Finally, we discuss some ways in which these cells are being targeted in patients, and promising preclinical findings on novel targets for decreasing the number of these cells in patients with allergic asthma.
authors.affiliation: Autoimmunity and Functional Genomics Section, Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland 20852, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: Kindra
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stokes
authors.forename: Avery
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: August
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines