Airway
inflammation is a key factor in the mechanisms of
asthma. Articles published in the Journal of
Allergy and Clinical Immunology this past year have highlighted the utility of investigative bronchoscopy with segmental
antigen challenge and induced sputum analyses to evaluate features of airway
inflammation in relationship to
asthma severity. Peripheral blood cell generation of
cytokines IFN-gamma (T(H)1) and
IL-5 (T(H)2) was used to evaluate the relationship of the balance of T(H)1/T(H)2
cytokines to
asthma persistence and severity in a 42-year, longitudinal study.
Chemokines, including
thymus and activation-regulated chemokine, are important to the regulation of
inflammation and
IgE synthesis. Their potential role in
asthma has also been evaluated. Finally,
albuterol (R)- and (S)-enantiomers may have distinct effects on airway relaxation and regulation of
inflammation, suggesting the possibility that monoisomeric
therapy has therapeutic advantages. The potential contribution of genetic factors and mechanisms to airway
inflammation and remodeling also continues to be an area of intense investigation. During the past year a number of articles published in the Journal of
Allergy and Clinical Immunology have identified and clarified potential genetic mechanisms in
asthma. The contribution of genetics to
asthma has been examined in a wide variety of studies, ranging from epidemiologic association and twin studies all the way to molecular analysis through microarray gene expression experiments.