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Malinovschi A, Rydell N, Fujisawa T, Borres MP, Kim CK. Clinical Potential of Eosinophil-Derived Neurotoxin in Asthma Management. THE JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY. IN PRACTICE 2023; 11:750-761. [PMID: 36581068 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2022.11.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The assessment and management of patients with asthma is challenging because of the complexity of the underlying inflammatory mechanisms and heterogeneity of their clinical presentation. Optimizing disease management requires therapy individualization that should rely on reliable biomarkers to unravel the phenotypes and endotypes of asthma. The secretory activity and turnover of eosinophils, as assessed by measuring eosinophil-derived proteins, may provide an accurate and complementary tool that mirrors the eosinophil activation status. Emerging evidence suggests that eosinophil-derived neurotoxin has considerable potential as a precision medicine biomarker. In this review, we explore the suitability of eosinophil-derived neurotoxin as a biomarker in asthma management, with particular emphasis on its clinical significance in the management of both pediatric and adult populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrei Malinovschi
- Clinical Physiology, Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Niclas Rydell
- ImmunoDiagnostics, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Takao Fujisawa
- Allergy Center, National Hospital Organization Mie National Hospital, Tsu, Japan
| | - Magnus P Borres
- ImmunoDiagnostics, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Chang-Keun Kim
- Asthma and Allergy Center, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
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Specjalski K, Romantowski J, Niedoszytko M. YKL-40 as a possible marker of neutrophilic asthma. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1115938. [PMID: 36844232 PMCID: PMC9945318 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1115938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Asthma is a heterogeneous chronic disorder of the airways, with inflammation and bronchial hyperresponsiveness as its major underlying phenomena. Asthmatics vary in terms of inflammation pattern, concomitant pathologies, and factors aggravating the course of the disease. As a result, there is a need for sensitive and specific biomarkers that could facilitate diagnosing asthma as well as phenotyping in everyday practice. Chitinases and chitinase-like proteins (CLPs) seem promising in this field. Chitinases are evolutionarily conserved hydrolases that degrade chitin. In contrast, CLPs bind chitin but do not have degrading activity. Mammalian chitinases and CLPs are produced by neutrophils, monocytes, and macrophages in response to parasitic or fungal infections. Recently, several questions have been raised about their role in chronic airway inflammation. Several studies demonstrated that overexpression of CLP YKL-40 was associated with asthma. Moreover, it correlated with exacerbation rate, therapy resistance, poor control of symptoms, and, inversely, with FEV1. YKL-40 facilitated allergen sensitization and IgE production. Its concentration was elevated in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid after an allergen challenge. It was also found to promote the proliferation of bronchial smooth muscle cells and correlate with subepithelial membrane thickness. Thus, it may be involved in bronchial remodeling. Associations between YKL-40 and particular asthma phenotypes remain unclear. Some studies showed that YKL-40 correlates with blood eosinophilia and FeNO, suggesting a role in T2-high inflammation. Quite the opposite, cluster analyses revealed the highest upregulation in severe neutrophilic asthma and obesity-associated asthma. The main limitation in the practical application of YKL-40 as a biomarker is its low specificity. High serum levels of YKL-40 were also found in COPD and several malignancies, in addition to infectious and autoimmune diseases. To conclude, the level of YKL-40 correlates with asthma and some clinical features in the whole asthmatic population. The highest levels are found in neutrophilic and obesity-related phenotypes. However, due to its low specificity, the practical application of YKL-40 remains uncertain but could be useful in phenotyping, especially when combined with other biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jan Romantowski
- Department of Allergology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Marek Niedoszytko
- Department of Allergology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
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Chen YC, Chang YP, Huang KT, Hsu PY, Hsiao CC, Lin MC. Unraveling the Pathogenesis of Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Overlap: Focusing on Epigenetic Mechanisms. Cells 2022; 11:cells11111728. [PMID: 35681424 PMCID: PMC9179497 DOI: 10.3390/cells11111728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Asthma and COPD overlap (ACO) is characterized by patients presenting with persistent airflow limitation and features of both asthma and COPD. It is associated with a higher frequency and severity of exacerbations, a faster lung function decline, and a higher healthcare cost. Systemic inflammation in COPD and asthma is driven by type 1 T helper (Th1) and Th2 immune responses, respectively, both of which may contribute to airway remodeling in ACO. ACO-related biomarkers can be classified into four categories: neutrophil-mediated inflammation, Th2 cell responses, arachidonic acid-eicosanoids pathway, and metabolites. Gene–environment interactions are key contributors to the complexity of ACO and are regulated by epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs. Thus, this review focuses on the link between epigenetics and ACO, and outlines the following: (I) inheriting epigenotypes without change with environmental stimuli, or epigenetic changes in response to long-term exposure to inhaled particles plus intermittent exposure to specific allergens; (II) epigenetic markers distinguishing ACO from COPD and asthma; (III) potential epigenetic drugs that can reverse oxidative stress, glucocorticoid insensitivity, and cell injury. Improved understanding of the epigenetic regulations holds great value to give deeper insight into the mechanisms, and clarify their implications for biomedical research in ACO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yung-Che Chen
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan; (Y.-P.C.); (K.-T.H.); (P.-Y.H.)
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (Y.-C.C.); (C.-C.H.); (M.-C.L.); Tel.: +886-7-731-7123 (ext. 8199) (Y.-C.C. & M.-C.L.); +886-7-731-7123 (ext. 8979) (C.-C.H.)
| | - Yu-Ping Chang
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan; (Y.-P.C.); (K.-T.H.); (P.-Y.H.)
| | - Kuo-Tung Huang
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan; (Y.-P.C.); (K.-T.H.); (P.-Y.H.)
| | - Po-Yuan Hsu
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan; (Y.-P.C.); (K.-T.H.); (P.-Y.H.)
| | - Chang-Chun Hsiao
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan; (Y.-P.C.); (K.-T.H.); (P.-Y.H.)
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (Y.-C.C.); (C.-C.H.); (M.-C.L.); Tel.: +886-7-731-7123 (ext. 8199) (Y.-C.C. & M.-C.L.); +886-7-731-7123 (ext. 8979) (C.-C.H.)
| | - Meng-Chih Lin
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan; (Y.-P.C.); (K.-T.H.); (P.-Y.H.)
- Correspondence: (Y.-C.C.); (C.-C.H.); (M.-C.L.); Tel.: +886-7-731-7123 (ext. 8199) (Y.-C.C. & M.-C.L.); +886-7-731-7123 (ext. 8979) (C.-C.H.)
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Leung C, Sin DD. Asthma-COPD Overlap: What Are the Important Questions? Chest 2021; 161:330-344. [PMID: 34626594 DOI: 10.1016/j.chest.2021.09.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Asthma-COPD overlap (ACO) is a heterogeneous condition that describes patients who show persistent airflow limitation with clinical features that support both asthma and COPD. Although no single consensus definition exists to diagnose this entity, common major criteria include a strong bronchodilator reversibility or bronchial hyperreactivity, a physician diagnosis of asthma, and a ≥ 10-pack-year cigarette smoking history. The prevalence of ACO ranges from 0.9% to 11.1% in the general population, depending on the diagnostic definition used. Notably, patients with ACO experience greater symptom burden, worse quality of life, and more frequent and severe respiratory exacerbations than those with asthma or COPD. The underlying pathophysiologic features of ACO have been debated. Although emerging evidence supports the role of environmental and inhalational exposures in its pathogenesis among patients with a pre-existing airway disease, biomarker profiling and genetic analyses suggest that ACO may be a heterogeneous condition, but with definable characteristics. Early-life factors including childhood-onset asthma and cigarette smoking may interact to increase the risk of airflow obstruction later in life. For treatment options, the population with ACO historically has been excluded from therapeutic trials; therefore strong, evidence-based recommendations are lacking beyond first-line inhaler therapies. Advanced therapies in patients with ACO are selected according to disease phenotypes and are based on extrapolated data from asthma and COPD. Research focused on defining biomarkers and evidence-based treatment options for ACO is needed urgently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clarus Leung
- Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, University of British Columbia, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Don D Sin
- Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, University of British Columbia, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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Odimba U, Senthilselvan A, Farrell J, Gao Z. Current Knowledge of Asthma-COPD Overlap (ACO) Genetic Risk Factors, Characteristics, and Prognosis. COPD 2021; 18:585-595. [PMID: 34555990 DOI: 10.1080/15412555.2021.1980870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Asthma-COPD overlap (ACO) is a newly identified phenotype of chronic obstructive airway diseases with shared asthma and COPD features. Patients with ACO are poorly defined, and some evidence suggests that they have worse health outcomes and greater disease burden than patients with COPD or asthma. Generally, there is no evidence-based and universal definition for ACO; several consensus documents have provided various descriptions of the phenotype. In addition, the mechanisms underlying the development of ACO are not fully understood. Whether ACO is a distinct clinical entity with its particular discrete genetic determinant different from asthma and COPD alone or an intermediate phenotype with overlapping genetic markers within asthma and COPD spectrum of obstructive airway disease remains unproven. This review summarizes the current knowledge of the genetic risk factors, characteristics, and prognosis of ACO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ugochukwu Odimba
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Division of Community Health and Humanities, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | | | - Jamie Farrell
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Division of Community Health and Humanities, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.,Faculty of Medicine, Health Sciences Centre (Respirology Department), Memorial University, St John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - Zhiwei Gao
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Division of Community Health and Humanities, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
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Fujino N, Sugiura H. ACO (Asthma-COPD Overlap) Is Independent from COPD, a Case in Favor: A Systematic Review. Diagnostics (Basel) 2021; 11:859. [PMID: 34064650 PMCID: PMC8150952 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics11050859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are now recognized to be able to co-exist as asthma-COPD overlap (ACO). It is clinically relevant to evaluate whether patients with COPD concurrently have components of asthma in primary care. This is because: (i) ACO is a relatively common condition among asthma (over 40 years of age) or COPD irrespective of its diagnosis criteria; (ii) patients with ACO can have higher frequency of exacerbation and more rapid decline in lung function than those with asthma or COPD; and (iii) asthmatic features such as eosinophilic airway inflammation are promising indicators for prediction of inhaled corticosteroid-responsiveness in COPD. The aim of this review to evaluate diagnostic markers for ACO. We searched PubMed for articles related to ACO published until 2020. Articles associated with diagnostic biomarkers were included. We identified a total of 25 studies, some of which have revealed that a combination of biomarkers such as fractional exhaled nitric oxide and serum immunoglobulin E is useful to discern type 2 inflammation in the airways of COPD. Here, we review the current understanding of the clinical characteristics, biomarkers and molecular pathophysiology of ACO in the context of how ACO can be differentiated from COPD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoya Fujino
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai 980-8574, Japan;
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Oishi K, Matsunaga K, Shirai T, Hirai K, Gon Y. Role of Type2 Inflammatory Biomarkers in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. J Clin Med 2020; 9:jcm9082670. [PMID: 32824775 PMCID: PMC7464674 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9082670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Airway inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is typically thought to be driven by Type1 immune responses, while Type2 inflammation appears to be present in definite proportions in the stable state and during exacerbations. In fact, some COPD patients showed gene expression of Type2 inflammation in the airway, and this subset was associated with the inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) response. Interestingly enough, the relationship between COPD and diseases associated with Type2 inflammation from the perspective of impaired lung development is increasingly highlighted by recent epidemiologic studies on the origin of COPD. Therefore, many researchers have shown an interest in the prevalence and the role of existent Type2 biomarkers such as sputum and blood eosinophils, exhaled nitric oxide fraction, and atopy, not only in asthma but also in COPD. Although the evidence about Type2 biomarkers in COPD is inconsistent and less robust, Type2 biomarkers have shown some potential when analyzing various clinical outcomes or therapeutic response to ICS. In this article, we review the existent and emerging Type2 biomarkers with clinically higher applicability in the management of COPD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keiji Oishi
- Department of Medicine and Clinical Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi 755-8505, Japan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-836-22-2248
| | - Kazuto Matsunaga
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Infectious Disease, Graduate School of Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi 755-8505, Japan;
| | - Toshihiro Shirai
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Shizuoka General Hospital, Shizuoka 420-8527, Japan;
| | - Keita Hirai
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Genetics, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Shizuoka 422-8526, Japan;
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacogenomics, Shizuoka General Hospital, Shizuoka 420-8527, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Gon
- Division of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo 173-8601, Japan;
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