Mast cell phenotype, location, and activation in severe asthma. Data from the Severe Asthma Research Program.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

Severe asthma (SA) remains poorly understood. Mast cells (MC) are implicated in asthma pathogenesis, but it remains unknown how their phenotype, location, and activation relate to asthma severity.

Objectives

To compare MC-related markers measured in bronchoscopically obtained samples with clinically relevant parameters between normal subjects and subjects with asthma to clarify their pathobiologic importance.

Methods

Endobronchial biopsies, epithelial brushings, and bronchoalveolar lavage were obtained from subjects with asthma and normal subjects from the Severe Asthma Research Program (N = 199). Tryptase, chymase, and carboxypeptidase A (CPA)3 were used to identify total MC (MC(Tot)) and the MC(TC) subset (MCs positive for both tryptase and chymase) using

SUBMITTER: Balzar S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3056228 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature