The Th1/Th2 balance in autoimmunity.

ABSTRACT

The study of autoimmune disease in the context of T-helper type 1 (Th1) and T-helper type 2 (Th2) CD4+ T-cell responses demonstrates that the relative contribution of either T-cell type to the development of a particular autoimmune response can influence whether or not this response leads to clinical disease. Moreover, this influence can be quite different depending on whether the particular disease process is cell mediated or antibody mediated. Recent studies have demonstrated that the development of Th1 and Th2 responses may be significantly influenced by the costimulatory molecules recognized by responding CD4 T cells, and by other undefined factors in the genetic background. It has also been demonstrated that autoreactive Th2 CD4+ cells can regulate the activity of disease-causing Th1 CD4+ T cells in vivo. Control of autoimmune disease may thus be achieved by procedures that regulate the relative contribution of Th1/Th2 CD4 T cells to an autoimmune response.