Tuberculosis vaccine candidates are entering clinical studies in areas where BCG fails. This is a high risk strategy. We suggest that geographical variation in the efficacy of BCG is related to the presence in developing countries of a cross-reactive background Th2-like response, probably attributable to exposure of mother and infant to helminths and environmental mycobacteria. Such Th2-like ac...

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common autoimmune demyelinating disease in human and T helper type 2 (Th2) cells have been shown to be beneficial for this disease. However, mechanisms by which Th2 cells ameliorate disease in MS are poorly understood. Microglial activation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of MS and other neurodegenerative disorders. Here, we delineate that Th2 cel...

It is generally accepted that tumour cells can be eliminated by M1 anti-tumour macrophages and CD8+ T cells. However, experimental results over the past 10–15 years have shown that B16 mouse melanoma cells can be eliminated by the CD4+ T cells alone (either Th1 or Th2 sub-types), in the absence of CD8+ T cells. In some studies, elimination of B16 melanoma was associated with a Th1 immune respon...

is the production of IL-12 by macrophages and dendritic cells responding to antigens or direct infection immune response; transplantation [3]. Polarized Th1 cells produce IL-2, IFN-c, and lymphotoxin. These cytokines promote the development of cytotoxic T cells, which support delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction (DTH) and facilitate anti-body-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) serving Twe...

We focus on how the IL-1 system, T-helper1 (Th1) or Th2 cytokines and glucocorticoids, converge to give a unified physiological response. Glucocorticoids inhibit IL-1 and IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) expression, Th1 cytokines stimulate both and Th2 cytokines stimulate IL-1ra and inhibit IL-1. Thus, during the Th1 response there is a window for IL-1 inflammatory activity, absent during the ...

background: most cancer cells become resistant to anti-cancer agents. in the last few years, a new approach for targeted therapy of human cancer has been developed using immunotoxins which comprise both the cell targeting and the cell killing moieties. methods: in the present study, the recombinant shiga toxin a1 subunit fused to human granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (a1-gm-csf...