HETEROGENEITY AMONG HUMAN CD4+ T CELL CLONES

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The goals of our research protocols are to determine the mechanisms that result in allergic asthma. Toward this end, we are determining the cellular and molecular mechanisms that control IL-4 expression in CD4+ T cells, and regulate the development of unresponsiveness in antigen specific T cells. These studies involve determining the role of antigen presenting cells such as alveolar macrophages from allergic and nonallergic individuals, as well as those with asthma in influencing cytokine production and tolerance induction in T cells. We will also determine how viral infection influences these processes. These studies will lead to a better understanding of the critical immunologic response that underlie allergy and tolerance induction. Such an understanding will be key in the design of novel immunotherapies for disease such as allergy and asthma.