Ryan C Murphy1,2, Teal S Hallstrand1,2. 1. Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine. 2. Center for Lung Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Mast cells have previously been thought to function solely as effector cells in asthma but more recent studies have indicated that mast cells may play a more central role in propagating and regulating lower airway inflammation in asthma. RECENT FINDINGS: Initial studies have found increased numbers of mast cell progenitors (MCPs) in the peripheral blood of patients with asthma and these cells could contribute to the increased number of progenitors identified in the airways of patients with asthma. There are unique subpopulations of mast cells within the asthmatic airway, which are characterized by their physical location and distinguished by their expression profile of mast cell proteases. Intraepithelial mast cells are tightly associated with type-2 (T2) inflammation but additional studies have suggested a role for anti-mast cell therapies as a treatment for T2-low asthma. Mast cells have recently been shown to closely communicate with the airway epithelium and airway smooth muscle to regulate lower airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness. SUMMARY: Recent studies have better illuminated the central role of mast cells in regulating lower airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness.
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Mast cells have previously been thought to function solely as effector cells in asthma but more recent studies have indicated that mast cells may play a more central role in propagating and regulating lower airway inflammation in asthma. RECENT FINDINGS: Initial studies have found increased numbers of mast cell progenitors (MCPs) in the peripheral blood of patients with asthma and these cells could contribute to the increased number of progenitors identified in the airways of patients with asthma. There are unique subpopulations of mast cells within the asthmatic airway, which are characterized by their physical location and distinguished by their expression profile of mast cell proteases. Intraepithelial mast cells are tightly associated with type-2 (T2) inflammation but additional studies have suggested a role for anti-mast cell therapies as a treatment for T2-low asthma. Mast cells have recently been shown to closely communicate with the airway epithelium and airway smooth muscle to regulate lower airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness. SUMMARY: Recent studies have better illuminated the central role of mast cells in regulating lower airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness.
Authors: Olga Krysko; Joshua H Bourne; Elena Kondakova; Elena A Galova; Katharine Whitworth; Maddy L Newby; Claus Bachert; Harriet Hill; Max Crispin; Zania Stamataki; Adam F Cunningham; Matthew Pugh; Abdullah O Khan; Julie Rayes; Maria Vedunova; Dmitri V Krysko; Alexander Brill Journal: Front Immunol Date: 2022-09-26 Impact factor: 8.786