Department of Medicine, Nassau University Medical Center, East Meadow, NY 11554, USA.
Allergy Asthma Proc. 2013 Jan-Feb;34(1):e21-6. doi: 10.2500/aap.2013.34.3646.
The T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain (Tim) gene family is a relatively newly discovered group of molecules with a conserved structure and important immunologic functions. Tim molecules express on many types of immune cells including T cells, B cells, dendritic cells, macrophages, and mast cells that have been shown to be involved in asthma, allergic rhinitis, food allergy, and autoimmunity. Tim-1-Tim-4 interaction promotes Th2 cytokine responses, and blocking this interaction can decrease airway inflammation in asthma and in allergic rhinitis. Tim-3 stimulates mast cells to produce Th2 cytokines, and anti-Tim-3 is able to dampen asthmatic inflammation. The Tim-3 ligand was shown to be greatly enhanced on intestinal epithelial cells in patients with food allergy and Tim-4 may play a role in maintaining oral tolerance and prevention of food allergy. Tim-3 deregulation plays a role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. Increased Tim-1 expression has been shown in mononuclear cells from systemic lupus erythematosus patients and Tim-3 may be involved in a protective role in rheumatoid arthritis.
T 细胞免疫球蛋白和黏蛋白结构域（Tim）基因家族是一组相对较新发现的分子，具有保守的结构和重要的免疫功能。Tim 分子在许多类型的免疫细胞上表达，包括 T 细胞、B 细胞、树突状细胞、巨噬细胞和肥大细胞，这些细胞已被证明与哮喘、过敏性鼻炎、食物过敏和自身免疫有关。Tim-1-Tim-4 相互作用促进 Th2 细胞因子反应，阻断这种相互作用可以减少哮喘和过敏性鼻炎中的气道炎症。Tim-3 刺激肥大细胞产生 Th2 细胞因子，抗 Tim-3 能够抑制哮喘炎症。研究表明，食物过敏患者的肠道上皮细胞上 Tim-3 配体大大增强，而 Tim-4 可能在维持口服耐受和预防食物过敏方面发挥作用。Tim-3 失调在多发性硬化症的发病机制中起作用。系统性红斑狼疮患者的单核细胞中显示出增加的 Tim-1 表达，而 Tim-3 可能在类风湿关节炎中发挥保护作用。
