Gene therapy for allergic diseases
Journal
Current Gene Therapy
Journal Volume
9
Journal Issue
3
Pages
185-191
Date Issued
2009
Author(s)
Abstract
Allergic diseases, such as allergic asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, conjunctivitis, urticaria, food allergy, and/or anaphylaxis, are associated with the skewing of immune responses towards a T helper 2 (TH2) phenotype, resulting in eosinophilic inflammation. TH2 cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5 and IL-13, promote IgE production, mast cell differentiation, and eosinophil growth, migration and activation which then lead to the pathologic abnormalities in allergic diseases. Moreover, the impaired function of regulatory T cells has been noted in allergic diseases. To date, treatments for allergic diseases, such as antihistamines, corticosteroids, bronchodilators and some allergen-specific immunotherapy, are effective but costly and require long-term and recurrent drug administration. Gene therapy has been shown to be an easy, effective, and convenient treatment by delivering the allergen or the therapeutic protein in the form of plasmid DNA in vivo to modulate allergic immune responses. We summarize here the recent advances of gene therapy in allergic diseases and discuss the challenges in clinical application. ? 2009 Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.
SDGs
Other Subjects
adenovirus vector; adjuvant; CD40 antigen; CD86 antigen; CpG oligodeoxynucleotide; DNA vaccine; Fas ligand; gamma interferon; interleukin 10; interleukin 12; interleukin 18; interleukin 4; interleukin 5; ovalbumin; small interfering RNA; transcription factor GATA 3; transforming growth factor beta; cytokine; allergic asthma; allergic disease; antigen presenting cell; antiinflammatory activity; B lymphocyte; cytokine production; dendritic cell; down regulation; gene targeting; gene therapy; human; immunotherapy; review; Th1 cell; Th2 cell; animal; desensitization; genetics; hypersensitivity; immunology; methodology; pathology; Animals; Cytokines; Desensitization, Immunologic; Gene Therapy; Humans; Hypersensitivity; Th2 Cells
Type
review