Symptom severity is associated with signs of central sensitization in patients with asthma

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: It's time to catch up to the science

Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) is a complex medical condition associated with low dose chemical exposures. MCS is characterized by diverse features and common comorbidities, including fibromyalgia, cough hypersensitivity, asthma, and migraine, and stress/anxiety, with which the syndrome shares numerous neurobiological processes and altered functioning within diverse brain regions. Predictive factors linked to MCS comprise genetic influences, gene-environment interactions, oxidative stress, systemic inflammation, cell dysfunction, and psychosocial influences. The development of MCS may be attributed to the sensitization of transient receptor potential (TRP) receptors, notably TRPV1 and TRPA1. Capsaicin inhalation challenge studies demonstrated that TRPV1 sensitization is manifested in MCS, and functional brain imaging studies revealed that TRPV1 and TRPA1 agonists promote brain-region specific neuronal variations. Unfortunately, MCS has often been inappropriately viewed as stemming exclusively from psychological disturbances, which has fostered patients being stigmatized and ostracized, and often being denied accommodation for their disability. Evidence-based education is essential to provide appropriate support and advocacy. Greater recognition of receptor-mediated biological mechanisms should be incorporated in laws, and regulation of environmental exposures.

Therapeutic Effect of Renifolin F on Airway Allergy in an Ovalbumin-Induced Asthma Mouse Model In Vivo

Renifolin F is a prenylated chalcone isolated from Shuteria involucrata, a traditional minority ethnic medicine used to treat the respiratory diseases and asthma. Based on the effects of the original medicine plant, we established an in vivo mouse model of allergic asthma using ovalbumin (OVA) as an inducer to evaluate the therapeutic effects of Renifolin F. In the research, mice were sensitized and challenged with OVA to establish an allergic asthma model to evaluate the effects of Renifolin F on allergic asthma. The airway hyper-reactivity (AHR) to methacholine, cytokine levels, ILC2s quantity and mircoRNA-155 expression were assessed. We discovered that Renifolin F attenuated AHR and airway inflammation in the OVA-induced asthmatic mouse model by inhibiting the regulation of ILC2s in the lung, thereby, reducing the upstream inflammatory cytokines IL-25, IL-33 and TSLP; the downstream inflammatory cytokines IL-4, IL-5, IL-9 and IL-13 of ILC2s; and the co-stimulatory factors IL-2 and IL-7; as well as the expression of microRNA-155 in the lung. The findings suggest a therapeutic potential of Renifolin F on OVA-induced airway inflammation.