Airway neutrophil inflammatory phenotype in older subjects with asthma

• Published in: Journal of allergy and clinical immunology Vol. 125; no. 5; pp. 1163 - 1165
• Main Authors: Nyenhuis, Sharmilee M., Schwantes, Elizabeth A., Evans, Michael D., Mathur, Sameer K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Mosby, Inc 01.05.2010; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Adult; Age; Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aging; Allergy and Immunology; Asthma; Asthma - immunology; Asthma - physiopathology; Biological and medical sciences; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Genotype & phenotype; Humans; Immunopathology; Inflammation - immunology; Inflammation - physiopathology; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Mortality; Neutrophils - cytology; Neutrophils - immunology; Older people; Phenotype; Pneumology; Population; Respiratory System - immunology; Respiratory System - physiopathology; Sarcoidosis. Granulomatous diseases of unproved etiology. Connective tissue diseases. Elastic tissue diseases. Vasculitis; Studies; Young Adult; Human; Lung disease; Immunopathology; Respiratory disease; Granulocyte; Inflammation; Respiratory system; Asthma; Respiratory tract; Phenotype; Immunology; Bronchus disease; Obstructive pulmonary disease; Neutrophil; Elderly; Age
• ISSN: 0091-6749; 1097-6825; 1097-6825
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2010.02.015

Specifically, one of the severe asthma phenotypes is characterized by airway neutrophilia with corresponding increases in neutrophil mediators including matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), neutrophil elastase, and IL-8, which are thought to play a pathogenic role in severity of asthma.3-6 Another characteristic of this phenotype of severe asthma is a lack of responsiveness to corticosteroids. Because previous studies have suggested that aging can result in increased airway neutrophilia in normal healthy subjects,7 we examined the airway neutrophilia and neutrophil associated mediators (including MMP-9, neutrophil elastase activity, and IL-8) in a pilot study of younger and older subjects with asthma.