IL-33 family members and asthma - bridging innate and adaptive immune responses.
The discovery of IL-33 as the ligand for the orphan Th2 associated receptor ST2 has uncovered a whole range of different avenues for this pathway. Although the extracellular functions of ST2 as a marker for Th2 cell and mast cell activity were well defined, the complexities of IL-33 regulation, nuclear function and secretion are only just being realised. The well documented expression pattern of ST2 has identified a role for the IL-33/ST2 axis in the classical Th2 cell and mast cell driven pathogenesis of asthma and anaphylaxis. However, the induction of IL-33 expression by environmental or endogenous triggers now suggests a wider role for the pathway during infection, inflammation and tissue damage.
Leukocyte Biology Section, National Heart and Lung Institute, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, UK. c.lloyd@imperial.ac.uk
Clare M
CM
Lloyd
D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D000067596:Interleukin-33; D007378:Interleukins / Q000276:immunology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology
C506536:IL33 protein, human; C506535:Il33 protein, mouse; D000067596:Interleukin-33; D007378:Interleukins