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Updated: Jul 10, 2026
08:05
Murine Model of Allergen Induced Asthma
Published on: May 14, 2012
Tissue and BAL based biomarkers in asthma.
1Allergy/Immunology Section, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, 3705 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. june.zhang@chp.edu
Immunology and Allergy Clinics of North America
|November 13, 2007
Summary
Asthma biomarkers lack specificity across its diverse phenotypes. This study reviews current tissue and lavage markers, comparing them with less invasive options to enhance asthma management.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Respiratory Research
- Biomarker Discovery
Background:
- Asthma is a complex respiratory condition with varied clinical presentations (phenotypes).
- Currently, no single biomarker in tissue or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid is definitively specific for diagnosing asthma.
- Understanding cellular and molecular differences is key to personalized asthma care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and discuss biomarkers associated with distinct asthma phenotypes, including eosinophilic, neutrophilic, and paucigranulocytic asthma.
- To explore biomarkers related to airway remodeling in asthma.
- To compare the utility of invasive biomarkers (tissue, lavage) with less invasive methods (sputum, serum, exhaled breath) for improved asthma diagnosis and management.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and synthesis of existing research on asthma biomarkers.
- Analysis of studies comparing tissue, bronchoalveolar lavage, sputum, serum, and exhaled breath biomarkers.
- Evaluation of markers related to specific asthma endotypes and airway remodeling.
Main Results:
- Identified various markers linked to eosinophilic, neutrophilic, and paucigranulocytic asthma phenotypes.
- Highlighted biomarkers associated with airway remodeling processes.
- Discussed the potential and limitations of less invasive biomarker measurements compared to traditional methods.
Conclusions:
- No single biomarker is specific for all asthma types, necessitating a phenotype-based approach.
- Less invasive biomarkers show promise for improving asthma diagnosis and treatment monitoring.
- Further research is needed to validate and integrate these biomarkers into clinical practice for better asthma management.
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