| Scientific Background: | IL-13 (interleukin-13) is primarily produced by activated T cells and has many of the same biological properties as IL-4. IL-13 suppresses the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α and IL-8 by monocytes/macrophages, induces CD23 expression on B cells, promotes B cell proliferation, stimulates secretion of IgE and IgG4, and induces IFN-γ production by NK cells. IL-13 has been shown to inhibit the replication of HIV both in vitro and in vivo. IL-13 induces many phenotypes of allergic lung diseases, including airway hyper responsiveness, goblet cell metaplasia and mucus hypersecretion that contribute to airway obstruction. |
