title: The role of dendritic cells in asthma.
abstract: Dendritic cells (DCs) are known to play a central role in sensing the presence of foreign antigens and infectious agents and in initiating appropriate immune responses. More recently, an additional role has been discovered for DCs in determining whether the response to potential environmental allergens will be one of tolerance or whether a vigorous response along allergic pathways will be initiated. This review discusses ways in which DCs participate specifically in initiating allergic responses, particularly those associated with allergic asthma, and how interventions focused on DCs might lead to new therapeutic approaches to asthma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA. Michelle.Gill@UTSouthwestern.edu
authors.forename: Michelle Ann
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Gill
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D014780:Viruses / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007073:Immunoglobulin E