The biological functions of T helper 17 cell effector cytokines in inflammation

Wenjun Ouyang1, Jay K Kolls, Yan Zheng

  • 1Department of Immunology, Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, USA. ouyang.wenjun@gene.com

Immunity
|April 11, 2008
PubMed

T helper 17 (Th17) cells belong to a recently identified T helper subset, in addition to the traditional Th1 and Th2 subsets. These cells are characterized as preferential producers of interleukin-17A (IL-17A), IL-17F, IL-21, and IL-22. Th17 cells and their effector cytokines mediate host defensive mechanisms to various infections, especially extracellular bacteria infections, and are involved in the pathogenesis of many autoimmune diseases. The receptors for IL-17 and IL-22 are broadly expressed on various epithelial tissues. The effector cytokines of Th17 cells, therefore, mediate the crucial crosstalk between immune system and tissues, and play indispensable roles in tissue immunity.

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