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Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Bronchial Thermoplasty: A Novel Therapeutic Approach to Severe Asthma

Bronchial Thermoplasty: A Novel Therapeutic Approach to Severe Asthma

Published on: November 4, 2010

Airway irritability--a burning issue?

Domenico Spina¹, Clive Page

¹The Sackler Institute of Pulmonary Pharmacology, Pharmaceutical Science Division, 5th Floor Hodgkin Building, Kings College London, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom. domenico.spina@kcl.ac.uk

Current Opinion in Pharmacology

|July 24, 2009

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Systems biology approaches are advancing asthma research, but understanding gene networks and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) remains challenging. Sensory nerves, often overlooked, may offer new therapeutic targets for asthma.

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Area of Science:

Systems biology
Pulmonology
Neuroscience

Background:

Systems biology offers insights into asthma pathophysiology, yet challenges persist in interpreting gene expression and regulatory networks.
Bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR), a key asthma phenotype, is not fully understood.
Current hypotheses for BHR include airway inflammation, smooth muscle dysfunction, and remodeling.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the underappreciated role of sensory nerves in the pathophysiology of asthma.
To identify potential novel therapeutic targets for asthma treatment.

Main Methods:

Analysis of gene expression data.
Investigation of regulatory gene networks.
Review of existing hypotheses on BHR mechanisms.

Main Results:

Significant challenges exist in linking systems biology findings (gene networks) to physiological significance in asthma.
The role of sensory nerves in BHR has received limited research attention.
Sensory nerves represent a potential new avenue for asthma drug development.

Conclusions:

Further research into sensory nerve function is warranted to elucidate their role in asthma.
Targeting sensory nerves could lead to novel therapeutic strategies for managing bronchial hyperresponsiveness and asthma.