title: T helper 2 and T follicular helper cells: Regulation and function of interleukin-4.
abstract: Type 2 immunity is characterized by expression of the cytokines interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-9 and IL-13, which can function in mediating protective immunity in the host or possess a pathogenic role. T helper (Th) 2 cells have emerged to play a beneficial role in mediating anti-parasitic immunity and are also known to be key players in mediating allergic diseases. In addition to the Th2 cells, recent studies have identified T follicular helper (Tfh) cells as an alternative source of IL-4 to regulate type 2 humoral immune responses, indicating that Th2 and Tfh cells exhibit overlapping phenotypical and functional characteristics. Th2 and Tfh cells appear to utilize distinct mechanisms for regulation of IL-4 expression; however unlike Th2 cells, the regulation and function of Tfh-derived IL-4 is not yet fully understood. Understanding of the molecular mechanisms for IL-4 expression and function in both cell subsets will be beneficial for the development of future therapeutic interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, Orlando, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Anupama
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sahoo
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Shradha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wali
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston, TX, USA. Electronic address: rnurieva@mdanderson.org.
authors.forename: Roza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nurieva
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000276:immunology*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015847:Interleukin-4
keywords: Interleukin-4; Tfh; Th2; Transcription; Type-2 immunity