Type 2 Inflammation

Declaration of sponsorship Sanofi and Regeneron

Last updated:12th May 2022

Published:12th May 2022

What is Type 2 Inflammation?

Type 2 inflammation is a common driver for underlying pathophysiology across multiple inflammatory diseases, including asthma and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP)¹

Involving both the adaptive and innate arms of the immune system, type 2 inflammation is characterized by key cytokines, particularly interleukin (IL)-4, IL-13, and IL-5 (FIGURE 1).^1,2

FIGURE 1: Type 2 Inflammation Is Driven by Both the Adaptive and Innate Arms of the Immune System.^1,3-8 ^*Downstream from Th2 cells, innate cells (such as mast cells and basophils) can also play a role in adaptive immunity given their activation by antigen-bound IgE. Crosslinking of IgE on these cells leads to release of several inflammatory mediators (including IL-4 and IL-13), thus amplifying the type 2 inflammatory response.¹ IgE, immunoglobulin E; ILC2, type 2 innate lymphoid cell; Th2, T helper type 2.

Underlying type 2 inflammation plays a role across multiple diseases in a range of organ systems (FIGURE 2).^1,9-18

FIGURE 2: Type 2 Inflammation Plays a Role Across Multiple Diseases.^1,9-18 AERD, aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; NSAID-ERD, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug-exacerbated respiratory disease.