Jaarboek no. 87. 2008/2009 - Koninklijke Maatschappij voor ...

132 Diligentia
infections are able to suppress allergic disorders. In terms of mechanisms involved in suppression
of airway inflammation by helminth infections, there is evidence that regulatory
cells such as Tregs and regulatory B cells are involved. The transfer of T and B cells from
chronically infected mice into allergen sensitized mice protected the development of airway
inflammation following allergen challenge of sensitized mice.
Concluding remarks
The epidemiologic studies as well as studies in experimental models of asthma, support
the notion that certain infections reduce the risk of developing an allergic disease. The
mechanisms so far point towards an important role for regulatory cells of the immune system.
Therefore it is proposed that in areas where infections are highly endemic, exposure
to microbial compounds can lead to the development of a robust regulatory response,
which in turn can ensure that inflammatory immune activation is kept under control and
thus prevents the development of overt inflammation in tissues such as in the lung.
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Immunologie van de hygiëne-hypothese