Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a disease involving multiple Th2 derived cytokines, but current therapies are limited by their activity on subset of these cytokines. ITK (interleukin-2 inducible T cell kinase) expressed cells and involved in both receptor signaling differentiation naïve into cells. Inhibition preferentially reduces the synthesis Th2-derived cytokines including IL-4, IL-5, IL-13. CPI-...

The development of asthma and other atopic diseases is influenced by cytokines produced by Th2 effector T cells. How effector T cell responses are regulated once these cell populations are established remains unclear. The recently described T cell and airway phenotype regulator locus, containing the T cell, Ig domain, mucin domain (TIM) genes, is genetically associated with Th2 cytokine product...

BOB.1/OBF.1 is a transcriptional coactivator essential at several stages of B-cell development. In T cells, BOB.1/OBF.1 expression is inducible by co-stimulation. However, a defined role of BOB.1/OBF.1 for T-cell function had not been discovered so far. Here, we show that BOB.1/OBF.1 is critical for T helper cell function. BOB.1/OBF.1(-/-) mice showed imbalanced immune responses, resulting in i...

Previous studies showed that mice with pristane-induced arthritis (PIA) and those protected from the disease by preimmunization with mycobacterial 65-kDa heat shock protein (hsp65), possess raised immune responses to hsp65. Thus, a paradox exists whereby T cells from both arthritic and hsp65-protected animals proliferate vigorously in response to the same Ag. Here we demonstrate that T cells fr...

IL-4 and IL-13 play key roles in Th2 immunity and asthma pathogenesis. Although the function of these cytokines is partially linked through their shared use of IL-4Ralpha for signaling, the interplay between these cytokines in the development of memory Th2 responses is not well delineated. In this investigation, we show that both IL-4 and IL-13 influence the maturation of dendritic cells (DC) i...

CD4(+) T helper (TH)1- and TH2-type cytokines reportedly play an important role in the pathobiology of asthma. Recent evidence suggests that proasthmatic changes in airway smooth muscle (ASM) responsiveness may be induced by the autocrine release of certain proinflammatory cytokines by the ASM itself. We examined whether TH1- and TH2-type cytokines are expressed by atopic asthmatic sensitized A...

We examined the role of the peptide/MHC ligand in CD4+ T cell differentiation into Th1 or Th2 cells using a TCR alphabeta transgenic mouse specific for hemoglobin (Hb)(64-76)/I-Ek. We identified two altered peptide ligands of Hb(64-76) that retain strong agonist activity but, at a given dose, induce cytokine patterns distinct from the Hb(64-76) peptide. The ability of these peptides to produce ...

Both IL-4 and IL-10 are regulatory cytokines produced by Th2 cells that can down-regulate cell-mediated immune responses. The studies reported here examine the influence of various cytokines in the regulation of T cell IL-10 production. The results indicate that IL-10 gene expression by TCR transgenic Th2 cells is significantly up-regulated by IL-4 in the absence of TCR signals. IL-4 enhances b...

Mangiferin is a major bioactive ingredient in Mangifera indica Linn. (Anacardiaceae) leaves. Aqueous extract of such leaves have been used as an indigenous remedy for respiratory diseases like asthma and coughing in traditional Chinese medicine. However, underlying molecular mechanisms of mangiferin on anti-asthma remain unclear. In our present study, we investigated the anti-asthmatic effect o...

The properties and outcome of an immune response are best predicted by the lymphokine phenotype of the responding T cells. Cytokines produced by CD4+ T helper type 1 (Th1) T cells mediate delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) and inflammatory responses, whereas cytokines produced by Th2 T cells mediate helper T cell functions for antibody production. To determine whether induction of Th2-like cel...