Molecular mechanisms in the development and progression of asthma: The role of epigenetic regulation and the airway epithelium

Abstract

Asthma is increasingly recognised as a heterogeneous disease, with multiple phenotypes that differ in severity, pathology, therapeutic response and long-term outcome. A combination of genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors are thought to contribute to the molecular diversity of the disease, with sensitisation (T-cell differentiation) dependent on the local microenvironment and the nature of the invading pathogen. A strong body of evidence exists associating numerous environmental and genetic components in asthma development, with multiple asthma genes involved independently (through the inheritance of polymorphisms) or through the interaction with the environment to increase risk. How..