Immunologic investigations of T-cell regulation of human IgE antibody secretion and allergic responses

The pathophysiology of allergic disease is multifactorial, involving an intricate network of interactions among cells, mediators, and cytokines. Substantial progress has been made in defining the role of antigen-specific T cells and cytokines in the regulation of immunoglobulin E (IgE) synthesis and the atopic diseases. The development of antigen-specific T-cell lines and clones has facilitated efforts to characterize human T-cell subsets and their cytokine repertoires. Molecular methods currently available include techniques for the quantitative analysis of cytokine gene expression and secretion from activated T cells ex vivo as well as in tissues. The availability of these newly developed techniques has become essential to the investigation of the pharmacologic regulation of T cells and cytokines both in vitro and in vivo. Future investigations will contribute to our understanding of the differential regulation of T-cell subsets and their relationships to allergic diseases, ultimately leading to a better understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of allergic diseases and the design of more effective therapeutic interventions.