THE EVOLUTION OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM''S ROLE IN THE PATHOGENESIS OF INFLAMMATORY MYOCARDIAL DISEASES: TH17-MEDIATED IMMUNE MECHANISMS
The review article discusses recent advances in our understanding of viral myocarditis such as pathogenic role of infection and immune mechanisms in acute, sub-acute and chronic phases of the disease. A newly discovered Th17 lymphocyte subset and Interleukin 17 play an important role in the development of inflammatory myocardial diseases. The protective effect of Interferon y and Th1 immune response in acute myocarditis and the role of Th17-mediated mechanisms in progression of acute myocarditis to dilated cardiomyopathy are considered. The evidence of pathogenic role of Th17 lymphocytes in viral myocarditis in human is given.