Fig. 4.

Immune response and the strategy of targeting phosphatases in inflammatory diseases. The immune response is a multiple process, and the detailed events differ over time. a At the onset of inflammation, innate immune cells are recruited to the injury or infection site within minutes and phagocytize bacteria. Subsequently, the adaptive immune cells infiltrate the site and secrete soluble cytokines, chemokines, or other cytotoxic proteins to activate T-cell killing functions and further scavenge debris. If the previous immune response succeeds in eliminating the infection, inflammation will terminate. If it fails, the proinflammatory immune response will continue for days, months, or even years and lead to chronic inflammation diseases. b Targeting phosphatases will help to advance the process of the inflammation resolution by modulating the function of immune cells, including but not limited to T cells, macrophages, neutrophils, and NK cells. The net result is restoration and maintenance of tissue homeostasis