Research hope for asthma sufferers

Scientists identified a protein that pushes the disease over a “tipping point”, turning a mild underlying condition into one that can potentially kill.

The culprit, found in research on mice with asthma-like symptoms, is an immune system signalling molecule called interleukin 17A (IL-17A).

“This study suggests that at some point it may be possible to treat or prevent severe forms of asthma by inhibiting pathways that drive the production of IL-17A,” said lead researcher Dr Marsha Wills-Karp, from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital in the United States.

Asthma is initially triggered by airborne allergens, such as dust mite particles or pet fur. A process involving IL-17A then builds on itself and sets up an “amplification loop”, said the scientists. The researchers found they could reduce the hyper-responsiveness of mice by blocking the interleukin molecule.

Their findings are reported in the journal Nature Immunology.

Dr Elaine Vickers, from the charity Asthma UK, said the discovery provided vital new information on the immune system’s role in severe asthma, that could one day lead to the creation of new treatments.