allergies/more/vaccines - Th1/Th2 balance: the hypothesis, its limitations, and implications for health and disease.

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" One theory of immune regulation involves homeostasis between

T-helper 1 (Th1) and T-helper 2 (Th2) activity "

This says it all.................they only have theories of how the

immune system works.

Vaccines as presently given bypass Th1, stimulating Th2 reaction

only..............so no full immunity as no response in Th1

(and more).

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve & db=PubMed & list_uid\

s=10371102 & dopt=Abstract

" Multiple vaccinations shift this delicate balance, favouring the

development of atopy and, perhaps, autoimmunity through

vaccine-induced polyclonal activation leading to autoantibody

production. An increase in the incidence of childhood atopic diseases

may be expected as a result of concurrent vaccination strategies that

induce a Th2-biased immune response. "

Sheri

Altern Med Rev. 2003 Aug;8(3):223-46.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/utils/lofref.fcgi?PrId=3045 & uid=12946237 & db=p\

ubmed & url=http://www.thorne.com/altmedrev/.fulltext/8/3/223.pdf

Th1/Th2 balance: the hypothesis, its limitations, and implications

for health and disease.

Kidd P.

One theory of immune regulation involves homeostasis between T-helper

1 (Th1) and T-helper 2 (Th2) activity. The Th1/Th2 hypothesis arose

from 1986 research suggesting mouse T-helper cells expressed

differing cytokine patterns. This hypothesis was adapted to human

immunity, with Th1- and Th2-helper cells directing different immune

response pathways. Th1 cells drive the type-1 pathway ( " cellular

immunity " ) to fight viruses and other intracellular pathogens,

eliminate cancerous cells, and stimulate delayed-type

hypersensitivity (DTH) skin reactions. Th2 cells drive the type-2

pathway ( " humoral immunity " ) and up-regulate antibody production to

fight extracellular organisms; type 2 dominance is credited with

tolerance of xenografts and of the fetus during pregnancy.

Overactivation of either pattern can cause disease, and either

pathway can down-regulate the other. But the hypothesis has major

inconsistencies; human cytokine activities rarely fall into exclusive

pro-Th1 or -Th2 patterns. The non-helper regulatory T cells, or the

antigen-presenting cells (APC), likely influence immunity in a manner

comparable to Th1 and Th2 cells. Many diseases previously classified

as Th1 or Th2 dominant fail to meet the set criteria. Experimentally,

Th1 polarization is readily transformed to Th2 dominance through

depletion of intracellular glutathione, and vice versa. Mercury

depletes glutathione and polarizes toward Th2 dominance. Several

nutrients and hormones measurably influence Th1/Th2 balance,

including plant sterols/sterolins, melatonin, probiotics,

progesterone, and the minerals selenium and zinc. The long-chain

omega-3 fatty acids EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA

(docosahexaenoic acid) significantly benefit diverse inflammatory and

autoimmune conditions without any specific Th1/Th2 effect.

Th1/Th2-based immunotherapies, e.g., T-cell receptor (TCR) peptides

and interleukin-4 (IL-4) injections, have produced mixed results to date.