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Asthma is a common chronic lung disease where airways constrict in response to either environmental or emotional triggers. Inflammation in the lungs plays a major role in the development of asthma, resulting in changes in the structure of the airways, or airway remodeling.
This remodeling is accomplished, in part, through the recruitment of specialized cells, fibroblasts, from the bone marrow.
Dolgachev et al hypothesized that SCF, a molecule that is highly expressed in lungs of asthma patients, was involved in the recruitment of bone marrow-derived fibroblasts in a murine model of asthma.
SCF neutralization not only prevented airway remodeling, but also inhibited the migration of bone marrow-derived fibroblasts to the lung.
Dr. Phan and colleagues have "for the first time revealed a novel role for SCF … in airway remodeling that is related to its involvement in the recruitment of bone marrow derived fibroblasts." SCF, therefore, could serve as a new therapeutic target for asthma treatment.
By American Journal of Pathology
Posted January 22nd, 2009 by harminka
