Common Fungus Promotes Airway Sensitivity in Asthma

Monday April 13, 2015

Common Fungus Promotes Airway Sensitivity in Asthma

Aspergillus fumigatus. Credit: CDC

Working with mouse tissues and cultured human cells, NIAID scientists have found that an allergen from a common fungus triggers a sequence of molecular events that contribute to the airway sensitivity characteristic of asthma. In the future, drugs that intervene in this process potentially could help reduce asthma symptoms. 

In addition, the researchers found high levels of the allergen in lung tissue from human volunteers with asthma and little in healthy volunteers, suggesting that asthma-related damage to airway linings may help promote entry of allergens into airway muscle.