Title:A Rapid Qualitative Review of Sarcoidosis: Clinical Manifestations,
Immunopathogenesis, Diagnosis and Treatment
Volume: 22
Issue: 12
Author(s): Shahab Shahgaldi , Ardeshir Abbasi *Nasim Rahmani-Kukia
Affiliation:
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
Keywords:
Sarcoidosis, granuloma, inflammatory diseases, inflammation, immune cell, APC.
Abstract: Sarcoidosis is a worldwide inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology that is characterized
by the formation of non-caseatingimmune granulomas in involved organs,most commonly in the
lungs and eyes. Although clinical manifestations of sarcoidosis depend on the organs involved, the
most common symptoms include fatigue, fever, weight loss, eye pain, dyspnea, and chest pain. Sarcoidosis
usually undergoes spontaneous regression, yet its chronic form progressively threatens the
involved organs through the induction of fibrotic damage. Despite decades of medical research, the
etiology of sarcoidosis still remains unclear. Nevertheless, a combination of contributors, including
genetic factors, environmental exposures, and microbial agents, is believed to trigger the inflammatory
state observed in this disease. Furthermore, a highly polarized Th1 and Th17 response with diminished
immunomodulatory mechanisms constitute the most significant immunological event associated
with this disorder. Indeed, sarcoid granulomas, which consist of highly activated antigen-presenting
cells (APCs) and lymphocytes, maintain a robust specialized niche to facilitate antigen presentation
and exaggerated immune responses. Both the unknown etiology and multisystem nature of the disease
have hampered the development of specific therapeutics and definitive diagnostic assays for sarcoidosis.
Consequently, its diagnosis and treatment still represent a challenging task for clinicians. In this
article, we aim to summarize contemporary findings of sarcoidosis and its etiology, pathogenesis, and
treatment.
