The Immune Paradox of Sarcoidosis: A Review of Literature

Abstract

This review briefly summarises the literature concerning our current understanding of the aetiology and immunopathogenesis of sarcoidosis, and the identification of novel markers of this disease. Although the immune paradox is a key part of sarcoid immunology, the mechanisms underlying this remarkable phenomenon are not well understood. Biomarkers may further the current understanding of the granulomatous inflammation seen in sarcoidosis. Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) is a novel, minimally invasive tool to sample the fluid lining the respiratory tract. EBC can be used to identify sarcoid specific biomarkers, which may shed light on the sarcoid immune paradox.