Latest research topics on allergic asthma / 中国免疫学杂志

ABSTRACT

The prevalence of allergic asthma has been growing steadily worldwide including China.Complex genetic and envi-ronmental factors have been assumed to contribute to disease pathogenesis.Key players in the barrier system such as airway epithelia secret allergic mediators in response to allergen stimulation.The micro-environment composed of innate immune cells,e.g.,innate lymphoid cells,and various immune effector molecules is critical in regulating the production of cytokines/chemokines,which further impacts the cells in adaptive immunity.The revelation of the neuron-ILC2 axis confirms the importance of the cross-talk between the nervous system and local immune responses on the regulation of tissue homeostasis.Furthermore,accumulating data implicate the involvement of the epigenetics and microbiota in allergic diseases.The concept of endotype has improved personalized medicine that aims to select the most suitable patient for a therapy according to the patient-specific patterns of disease pathology.There is also a demand for more precise biomarkers that can identify the appropriate treatment recipient.Lastly,the validity of experimental animal models of allergic asthma may need to be re-evaluated.This review summarizes recent progress addressing these issues in our understanding of allergic pathology.