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Role and pharmacogenomics of TNF-alpha in asthma
Dimosthenis Lykouras1, Fotis Sampsonas, Alexandros Kaparianos
1Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pneumonology, University Hospital of Patras, Rio, Patras, Greece.
Abstract:
Asthma is a chronic heterogeneous inflammatory disease of the respiratory system in which numerous cytokines play a significant role. Among them TNF-alpha (tumour necrosis factor alpha), a proinflammatory cytokine, has a predominant role in orchestrating airway inflammation and affecting treatment outcome. In this review we attempt to summarize the involvement of TNF-alpha in the pathogenesis of asthma, illustrate variations of TNF-alpha gene that potentially influence asthma phenotype and highlight promising therapies by blocking the production of TNF-alpha or inhibiting its action. A cytokine specific target therapy seems to be very promising since agents that block TNF-alpha slow disease progression, suppress inflammation and in some cases induce remission of chronic inflammation.
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