Cytokine and Chemokine Interactions in Allergic Airway Inflammation

Allergic airway inflammation is characterized by peribronchial eosinophil accumulation within the submucosa surrounding the airway. The development of appropriate animal models to dissect the critical mechanisms involved in the deleterious responses is crucial for the evolution of proper therapeutic approaches. This article reviews several developed models of allergic airway inflammation induced by intratracheal challenge with parasite (Schistosoma mansoni egg antigen [SEA]), environmental (cockroach), and fungal (Aspergillus) allergens in presensitized mice. Use of these models to examine the eosinophil recruitment has identified key cytokines and adhesion molecules involved in the responses, which rely on several interacting events. These cytokines include interleukin 4 (IL-4), IL-13, and a number of chemokines, which appear to act as activating and recruitmen