Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 9, 2026

Isolation and Th17 Differentiation of Naïve CD4 T Lymphocytes
Published on: September 26, 2013
Vasoactive intestinal peptide regulates Th17 function in autoimmune inflammation
Javier Leceta1, Rosa P Gomariz, Carmen Martinez
1Departamento de Biologia Celular, Facultad de Biologia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain. jleceta@bio.ucm.es
Abstract:
An imbalance of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, autoreactive and inflammatory T helper 1 (Th1) cells, and regulatory T (Treg) cells results in the loss of immune tolerance and the subsequent appearance of inflammatory autoimmune diseases. On the other hand, hormones and neuropeptides are endogenous factors controlling the immune homeostasis that have been proposed as therapeutic agents in different autoimmune disorders. Among them, the vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) has been shown to downregulate the inflammatory response and to alter the Th1/Th2 balance in favor of anti-inflammatory Th2 immune responses. Recent studies have revealed a greater diversification of the T cell effector repertoire with the identification of Th17 cells. This subpopulation has been shown to be pathogenic in several autoimmune diseases previously attributed to the Th1 lineage. Arising new data and a critical revision of already published studies indicate that VIP is an immunomodulatory therapeutic agent targeting the Th17/Treg pathway.
Related Concept Videos
T Cell Types and Functions
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...
Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Crohn's Disease
Inflammatory Response
Inflammation can be triggered by various stimuli, such as impact, abrasion, chemical irritation, infections, and extreme hot or cold temperatures. These can damage cells and connective tissue fibers,...
Inflammatory Bowel Disease IV: Pharmacological Management
Pharmacologic...
Inflammatory Bowel Disease I: Introduction
Inflammatory Bowel Disease II: Crohn's Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease, commonly known as IBD, refers to a collection of disorders that lead to persistent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The two types of IBD are ulcerative colitis, which impacts the colon, and Crohn's disease, which can involve any part of the gastrointestinal segment.
Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease is a chronic, systemic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that predominantly affects the gastrointestinal tract. It is marked by transmural...

