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Updated: May 11, 2026
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Cigarette Smoke Exposure in Mice using a Whole-Body Inhalation System
Published on: October 22, 2020
Smoking attenuates the age-related decrease in IgE levels and maintains eosinophilic inflammation
T Nagasaki1, H Matsumoto, H Nakaji
1Department of Respiratory Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
Summary
Smoking may prevent age-related decreases in immunoglobulin E (IgE) and sustain eosinophilic inflammation in asthma patients. Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) might play a role in this process.
Area of Science:
- Respiratory Medicine
- Immunology
- Environmental Health
Background:
- Smoking is linked to increased risk of atopy and asthma.
- The impact of smoking on atopy and eosinophilic inflammation in asthmatics, especially the elderly, is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of smoking on serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels and eosinophilic inflammation in asthmatics of all ages.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 307 steroid-naive asthmatics.
- Assessed associations between serum IgE, blood eosinophils, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), smoking, and age.
- Analyzed sputum eosinophils and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP); excluded current smokers for FeNO analysis.
Main Results:
- In never-smokers, IgE, blood eosinophils, and FeNO decreased with age. Current smokers did not show decreased IgE with age and had higher blood eosinophils.
- Ex-smokers showed less steep age-related IgE decline and higher eosinophils/FeNO compared to never-smokers.
- Sputum TSLP levels correlated with sputum eosinophils and pack-years; smokers had higher TSLP.
Conclusions:
- Smoking may hinder age-related IgE reduction in asthmatics.
- Smoking appears to sustain eosinophilic inflammation in asthma.
- TSLP may be implicated in smoking-related inflammation in asthma.
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