Allergic diseases and asthma constitute a growing health care problem with a marked socioeconomic impact, especially in industrialized countries. This book summarizes what is currently known about the mechanisms underlying these diseases. Obviously, both environmental and genetic factors influence the development of allergic and asthmatic diseases. Several chapters highlight the role of eosinophils, lymphocytes, and T cells, as well as environmental factors in the development of allergy and asthma.Also discussed are the most recent therapeutic strategies including allergen-specific immunotherapy and anti-IgE treatment as well as the function of histamine as a major mediator of acute inflammatory and immediate hypersensitivity reactions. The interdisciplinary character of this book is documented by articles from various fields such as environmental, molecular, and cellular biology, allergy and dermatology. Representing an excellent collection of state-of-the art reviews, this publication is indispensable for all scientists working in allergy and asthma and for clinicians treating allergic and asthmatic patients.
Author(s): Reto Crameri
Series: Chemical Immunology
Edition: 1
Publisher: S. Karger AG (Switzerland)
Year: 2006
Language: English
Commentary: 63640
Pages: 241
Cover......Page 1
Contents......Page 6
Foreword......Page 14
The Magic Mountain of Allergy Research......Page 18
Abstract......Page 20
The Cat Paradox: High Exposure to Cat or Dog Allergens Does Not Increase the Prevalence or Titer of IgE ab......Page 23
The American Inner City as a Special Issue......Page 24
The Role of Specific Antibody Responses in Influencing Total Serum IgE, the Prevalence of Asthma and Severity of Asthma......Page 25
Endotoxin: Another Environmental Exposure with a Nonlinear Dose Response......Page 26
Conclusions......Page 27
Acknowledgements......Page 29
References......Page 30
Air Pollution......Page 33
Allergens......Page 34
Effects of the High Altitude in Bronchial Asthma......Page 35
Laboratory Markers of Airway Inflammation......Page 36
Immunoglobulin E and T-Cell Functions......Page 39
Lung Function......Page 42
Duration of Effects......Page 43
References......Page 44
Epidemiological and Human Exposure Studies......Page 47
Animal Models: A Proof-of-Concept Approach......Page 54
Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Allergy Protection......Page 58
References......Page 62
Abstract......Page 66
Death Receptor Ligands......Page 68
TNF-Like Molecules......Page 69
IAP Family Members......Page 70
Bcl-2 Family Members......Page 72
References......Page 73
Abstract......Page 76
The Asthma Phenotypes......Page 77
Effector Mechanisms: How Do T Cells Cause Asthma?......Page 78
Are T Cells Required to Perpetuate Asthma?......Page 79
T-Cell-Derived Cytokines and Cytokines That Act on T Cells......Page 80
TReg Cells and Asthma......Page 81
Provoked Asthma under Controlled Clinical Conditions......Page 82
Activation of T Cells in Asthma: Antigen-Presenting Cells......Page 83
Homing of T Cells to the Airway in Asthma......Page 84
Cyclosporin A......Page 86
Antigen-Directed Targeting of T Cells and TRegs: The Future for Asthma Therapy?......Page 87
References......Page 88
Atopic Dermatitis – A Chronic Inflammatory Skin Disease......Page 93
Food Allergy in AD......Page 95
The Importance of Staphylococcus aureus as a Trigger Factor of AD......Page 97
New Treatment Options for AD......Page 99
References......Page 101
Abstract......Page 104
Atopic Dermatitis......Page 106
Nonimmediate Cutaneous Allergic Reactions to Drugs......Page 109
Features of Circulating CLA+ T Cells in Cutaneous Allergic Inflammation......Page 110
References......Page 112
Abstract......Page 115
Fungi as Contributing Factors to AE......Page 116
The Special Role of Malassezia Species in Allergic Reactions Related to AE......Page 117
The Allergen Repertoire of M. sympodialis......Page 118
M. sympodialis in the Intrinsic Form (Nonatopic Type) of AE......Page 120
Therapeutic Long-Term Options and Anti-Inflammatory Approaches......Page 121
Fungal Allergens Leading to Autoreactivity in AE......Page 122
Conclusions......Page 123
References......Page 124
Definition......Page 127
Etiopathogenesis......Page 128
Clinical Presentation......Page 131
Diagnosis......Page 133
Treatment......Page 134
Prognosis......Page 135
References......Page 136
Abstract......Page 138
Epidemiology......Page 139
Incidence and Clinical Relevance of Fungal Allergies......Page 140
Diagnosis of Fungal Allergy......Page 141
The Dimension of the Problem......Page 142
Recombinant Fungal Allergens......Page 143
Cross-Reactivity......Page 144
Involvement of Fungal Allergens in the Pathogenesis of Severe Atopic Diseases......Page 147
Conclusions......Page 148
References......Page 149
Abstract......Page 151
Cross-Reactivity in Relation to Mast Cell Triggering......Page 152
IgE Immunogenicity......Page 155
The ‘Healthy’ Antiallergen Immune Response and Its Relation to the Modified Th2 Response......Page 156
Working Hypothesis: the ‘Nonmodified’ Th2 Response is an Incomplete B-Cell Response Which Fails to Induce Mature Germinal Centers......Page 158
To What Extent Is IgG4 Special in This Context?......Page 160
Consequences for the Allergenicity Issue......Page 161
References......Page 162
Abstract......Page 164
Th-Cell Differentiation Is Largely Controlled by Cytokine Signaling......Page 165
Th Polarizing Signals Generated by DC Are Regulated by Danger Signals......Page 167
Costimulatory Molecules Displayed on DC Surfaces Modulate Th-Cell Differentiation......Page 168
Antigen Presentation by Nonprofessional APC Influences Th-Cell Differentiation......Page 169
Affinity of Interaction between MHC Class II Molecules and Antigen Peptides Might Determine the Type of Immune Response......Page 170
Conclusions......Page 171
References......Page 172
Anergy, Tolerance and Active Suppression Are Not Fully Distinct Events......Page 176
Essential Features of Allergic Inflammation......Page 177
Tr1 Cells......Page 179
Th3 Cells......Page 180
Other Regulatory Cells......Page 182
Dendritic Cells That May Play a Regulatory Function......Page 183
Suppression Mechanisms of TReg Cells......Page 184
Clinical Relevance of TReg Cells......Page 186
Conclusions......Page 187
References......Page 188
Abstract......Page 191
Synthesis and Metabolism of Histamine......Page 192
Histamine Receptors......Page 193
Antigen-Presenting Cells......Page 196
T Cells and Antibody Isotypes......Page 198
Histamine and Chronic Inflammatory Responses......Page 199
Effects of Histamine and Antihistamines on Airway Function......Page 200
Conclusions......Page 201
References......Page 202
The DNA Array Technology......Page 205
Application of DNA Arrays......Page 206
Gene Expression Profiles in Allergy......Page 207
References......Page 210
Peripheral T-Cell Tolerance in Allergen-Specific Immunotherapy......Page 212
Peripheral T-Cell Tolerance to Allergens is Associated with Regulation of Antibody Isotypes......Page 214
Suppression of Effector Cells by Allergen-Specific Immunotherapy......Page 215
Mechanism of T-Cell Suppression by IL-10 and Its Relationship to Anergy......Page 216
Conclusions......Page 217
References......Page 218
Overview......Page 221
The Biological Function of the B-Cell Antigen Receptor......Page 223
Regulation of the Membrane Expression of IgE......Page 225
The Biochemical Process of Polyadenylation......Page 226
Alternative Polyadenylation of IgE......Page 227
Plasma-Cells – A Therapy Resistant Population of Cells?......Page 228
Pros and Cons of Systemic IgE Therapies......Page 230
Summary......Page 231
References......Page 232
Author Index......Page 235
A......Page 236
D......Page 237
H......Page 238
M......Page 239
T......Page 240
Y......Page 241
