Opinion - Taking our breath away: dendritic cells in the pathogenesis of asthma

Dendritic cells (DCs) are mainly known for their capacity to induce primary immune responses. Here, we propose that DCs are similarly essential for controlling effector T-cell responses and, therefore, might have a role in T-cell-mediated diseases. In the case of asthma, airway DCs are essential for controlling T helper 2 (TH2)-dependent eosinophilic airway inflammation. Therefore, interfering with DC function could be of therapeutic benefit.