Helicobacter pylori, asthma and allergy |
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| Authors: | Mario Milco D'Elios Gaia Codolo Amedeo Amedei Paola Mazzi Giorgio Berton Giuseppe Zanotti Gianfranco Del Prete & Marina de Bernard |
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| Institution: | Department of Internal Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy;;Department of Biomedicine, AOUC Careggi, Florence, Italy;;Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine, Padua, Italy;;Department of Biology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy;and;Department of Pathology, Section of General Pathology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy |
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| Abstract: | Bronchial asthma and allergic diseases are orchestrated by T-cells producing T-helper type 2 (Th2) cytokines, such as interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-5, and are inhibited by Th1 responses. Helicobacter pylori has chronically infected the human population for c . 100 000 years and preferentially elicits a Th1 mucosal immune response with the production of interferon-γ and IL-12. Among several bacterial factors, the neutrophil-activating protein of H. pylori (HP-NAP) not only plays a key role in driving Th1 inflammation but it is also able to inhibit Th2 responses in vitro and in vivo in allergic bronchial asthma, in humans and mice. Both systemic and mucosal administrations of HP-NAP are successful in reducing eosinophilia, immunoglobulin E and systemic Th2 cytokines at the bronchial level. Thus, these results identify HP-NAP as a candidate for novel strategies for the prevention and treatment of allergic diseases. |
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| Keywords: | Helicobacter pylori asthma allergy cytokines chemokines immune modulation |
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