Biotherapeutic targets for the treatment of allergic airway disease

T cells are critical mediators of inflammation and as such, their migration to inflammatory sites is a tightly controlled process involving a complex series of molecules expressed by a variety of cell types. As our appreciati on of the mechanisms governing T cell surveillance, activation, differentia tion, and subsequent homing to sites of inflammation has advanced, the oppo rtunity to develop novel therapeutic agents that modulate the immune system has increased. Importantly, the possibility of specifically targetting sub populations of effector cells raises the exciting potential for the develop ment of novel agents that selectively modify the immune response to allerge ns, without resulting in generalized immune suppression.