Unlocking molecular secrets in asthma

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Exactly how do blood molecules influence airway processes? Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York may now have the answers from a new study identifying key molecules in blood and nasal passages that play a pivotal role in asthma development and progression.

The research opens doors to potential novel treatments targeting specific molecules, with the aim of providing more effective relief for asthma patients. Their research findings were published today in Genome Medicine. Supinda Bunyavanich, MD, MPH, MPhil, the Mount Sinai professor in allergy and systems biology, deputy director of the Elliot and Roslyn Jaffe Food Allergy Institute, and a senior author of the study, highlighted the importance of this holistic approach.

"Our findings represent a groundbreaking connection between systemic factors in the bloodstream and localized factors in the airways, working collaboratively to drive asthma. This discovery marks a significant stride towards understanding core mechanisms of asthma, transcending the conventional focus on only the airways," Dr. Bunyavanich said.

However, Dr. Bunyavanich urged caution, saying it's important to acknowledge the need for further research before breakthroughs can transition to “immediate therapies."

Researchers examined 341 participants with persistent asthma and non-asthmatic controls, using advanced transcriptomic sequencing techniques to analyze blood and nasal samples. The findings revealed crucial molecules and processes that hold the key to understanding asthma better. Within the blood, the NK cell granule protein and perforin emerged as central players. In the nasal passages, the G3BP stress granule assembly factor 1 and InaD-like protein took on pivotal roles. Notably, the study underscored the profound influence of blood molecules on asthma by virtue of their effects on nasal molecules.

Given that asthma affects millions globally, the findings chart a path for future research endeavors, guiding the development of targeted asthma therapies that modulate these specific molecules. The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health.

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