TY - JOUR T1 - Airway epithelial cells as guardians of immune homeostasis? JF - Thorax JO - Thorax SP - 1009 LP - 1009 DO - 10.1136/thx.2009.120121 VL - 64 IS - 11 AU - M Brodlie AU - K Eger AU - C M U Hilkens AU - C Ward Y1 - 2009/11/01 UR - http://thorax.bmj.com/content/64/11/1009.1.abstract N2 - We read with interest the paper by Wang et al and accompanying editorial by Smyth showing that healthy murine airway epithelial cells (AECs) are potent inhibitors of dendritic cell (DC)-induced T cell activation.1 2 AECs infected with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) lost this regulatory function, allowing activation of T cell responses and airway inflammation.1 These in vitro observations match with the high concentrations of pro-inflammatory mediators and cells found clinically in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of infants with RSV bronchiolitis.2 … ER -