Innate lymphocyte cells in asthma phenotypes

Review

Leyla Pur Ozyigit^1*, Hideaki Morita²³ and Mubeccel Akdis²³

Clinical and Translational Allergy 2015, 5:23  doi:10.1186/s13601-015-0068-5

Abstract

T helper type 2 (T _H 2) cells were previously thought to be the main initiating effector cell type in asthma; however, exaggerated T _H2 cell activities alone were insufficient to explain all aspects of asthma. Asthma is a heterogeneous syndrome comprising different phenotypes that are characterized by their different clinical features, treatment responses, and inflammation patterns.

What pulmonologists think about the asthma–COPD overlap syndrome

Authors Miravitlles M, Alcázar B, Alvarez FJ, Bazús T, Calle M, Casanova C, Cisneros C, de-Torres JP, Entrenas LM, Esteban C, García-Sidro P, Cosio BG, Huerta A, Iriberri M, Izquierdo JL, López-Viña A, López-Campos JL, Martínez-Moragón E, Pérez de Llano L, Perpiñá M, Ros JA, Serrano J, Soler-Cataluña JJ, Torrego A, Urrutia I, Plaza V

Published Date July 2015 Volume 2015:10(1) Pages 1321—1330

DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/COPD.S88667

Received 15 May 2015, Accepted 23 June 2015, Published 15 July 2015

Peer reviewers approved by Dr Hsiao-Chi Chuang

Approved for publication by Dr Richard Russell

Background: Some patients with COPD may share characteristics of asthma; this is the so-called asthma–COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS). There are no universally accepted criteria for ACOS, and most treatments for asthma and COPD have not been adequately tested in this population.
Materials and methods: We performed a survey among pulmonology specialists in asthma and COPD aimed at collecting their opinions about ACOS and their attitudes in regard to some case scenarios of ACOS patients. The participants answered a structured questionnaire and attended a face-to-face meeting with the Metaplan methodology to discuss different aspects of ACOS.

Clinical contraindications to allergen immunotherapy: an EAACI position paper

1. C. Pitsios^1,*, 
2. P. Demoly^2,3, 
3. M. B. Bilò⁴, 
4. R. Gerth van Wijk⁵, 
5. O. Pfaar^6,7, 
6. G. J. Sturm⁸,
7. P. Rodriguez del Rio⁹, 
8. M. Tsoumani¹⁰, 
9. R. Gawlik¹¹, 
10. G. Paraskevopoulos¹², 
11. F. Ruëff¹³, 
12. E. Valovirta¹⁴, 
13. N. G. Papadopoulos^15,16and
14. M. A. Calderón¹⁷

Article first published online: 18 MAY 2015 DOI: 10.1111/all.12638

Abstract

Clinical indications for allergen immunotherapy (AIT) in respiratory and Hymenoptera venom allergy are well established; however, clinical contraindications to AIT are not always well documented. There are some discrepancies when classifying clinical contraindications for different forms of AIT as ‘absolute’ or ‘relative’. EAACI Task Force on ‘Contraindications to AIT’ was created to evaluate and review current literature on clinical contraindications, and to update recommendations for both sublingual and subcutaneous AIT for respiratory and venom immunotherapy.

Allergy immunotherapy with a hypoallergenic recombinant birch pollen allergen rBet v 1-FV in a randomized controlled trial

Research

Ludger Klimek^1*, Claus Bachert², Karl-Friedrich Lukat³, Oliver Pfaar⁵, Hanns Meyer⁴ and Annemie Narkus⁴

Clinical and Translational Allergy 2015, 5:28  doi:10.1186/s13601-015-0071-x

Abstract (provisional)

Background Pollen extracts and chemically modified allergoids are used successfully in allergen immunotherapy (AIT). Recombinant extracts offer potential advantages with respect to pharmaceutical quality, standardization and dosing. A hypoallergenic recombinant folding variant of the major birch pollen allergen (rBet v 1-FV) was compared with an established native birch preparation.

Protocadherin-1 is a glucocorticoid-responsive critical regulator of airway epithelial barrier function

Research article

Yutaka Kozu¹, Yasuhiro Gon^1*, Shuichiro Maruoka¹, Kuroda Kazumichi², Akiko Sekiyama¹, Hiroyuki Kishi³, Yasuyuki Nomura³, Minoru Ikeda³ and Shu Hashimoto¹

BMC Pulmonary Medicine 2015, 15:80  doi:10.1186/s12890-015-0078-z

Impaired epithelial barrier function renders the airway vulnerable to environmental triggers associated with the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma. We investigated the influence of protocadherin-1 (PCDH1), a susceptibility gene for bronchial hyperresponsiveness, on airway epithelial barrier function.

We applied transepithelial electric resistance and dextran permeability testing to evaluate the barrier function of cultured airway epithelial cells. We studied PCDH1 function by siRNA-mediated knockdown and analyzed nasal or bronchial tissues from 16 patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and nine patients with bronchial asthma for PCDH1 expression.

Consensus communication on early peanut introduction and the prevention of peanut allergy in high-risk infants

Position article and guidelines

David M. Fleischer¹, Scott Sicherer², Matthew Greenhawt³, Dianne Campbell⁴, Edmond S. Chan^5*, Antonella Muraro⁶,Susanne Halken⁶, Yitzhak Katz⁷, Motohiro Ebisawa⁸, Lawrence Eichenfield⁹, Hugh Sampson¹⁰, For the Leap Study Team and Secondary Contributors

Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology 2015, 11:23  doi:10.1186/s13223-015-0087-8

Abstract (provisional)

The purpose of this brief communication is to highlight emerging evidence to existing guidelines regarding potential benefits of supporting early, rather than delayed, peanut introduction during the period of complementary food introduction in infants.

Early childhood wheezers: identifying asthma in later life

J Asthma Allergy. 2015 Jul 13;8:63-73. doi: 10.2147/JAA.S70066. eCollection 2015.

Lasso-Pirot A1, Delgado-Villalta S1, Spanier AJ1.

Author information

Abstract

Wheeze in young children is common, and asthma is the most common noncommunicable disease in children. Prevalence studies of recurrent asthma-like symptoms in children under the age of 5 years have reported that one third of children in the US and Europe are affected, and rates and severity appear to be higher in developing countries.

The airway microbiome in patients with severe asthma: Associations with disease features and severity

J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2015 Jul 25. pii: S0091-6749(15)00838-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2015.05.044. [Epub ahead of print]

Huang YJ1, Nariya S2, Harris JM3, Lynch SV4, Choy DF3, Arron JR3, Boushey H2.

Author information

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Asthma is heterogeneous, and airway dysbiosis is associated with clinical features in patients with mild-to-moderate asthma. Whether similar relationships exist among patients with severe asthma is unknown.

OBJECTIVE:

We sought to evaluate relationships between the bronchial microbiome and features of severe asthma.