Defensins Dampen the Mucosal Cytokine Response to Microbial Antigens

摘要

Antigen recognition and processing at mucosal surfaces likely determines the extent of an inflammatory response. Natural mechanisms to inhibit inflammatory responses must be present in mucosal secretions during their mechanical clearance, otherwise all inhaled antigens would induce continual cytokine release and unchecked mucosal inflammation. In fact, restraint of pro-inflammatory cytokine induction may be highly desirable on mucosal membranes of the nose and respiratory tract, which are continually exposed to microbial antigens, dust, and allergens in respirable air. Failure to inhibit mucosal inflammatory responses for one reason or another, may lead to continual cytokine release and mucosal inflammation resulting in chronic diseases.