Role of th17 cell and autoimmunity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are poorly defined. Accumulating evidences indicate that chronic inflammatory responses and adaptive immunity play important roles in the development and progression of the disease. Recently, it has been shown that IL-17 producing CD4 T cells, named Th17 cells, which have been implicated in the pathogenesis of several inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, are involved in airway inflammation and COPD. In addition, we and others suggest that autoimmunity may play a critical role in the pathogenesis of COPD. Here, we will review the current understanding of roles of Th17 cells and autoimmune responses in COPD.
Hong
Seok Chan
SC
Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Biomedical Research Center, KAIST Institute for the BioCentury, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 305-701, Korea.
Lee
Seung-Hyo
SH