MUC1 in the upper-lower airway inflammatory continuum: an endotype-centered perspective

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Respiratory Medicine
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Upper and lower airway diseases share common anatomical and immunological features.
• Mucin 1 (MUC1), a glycoprotein in airway epithelium, has crucial immunoregulatory and barrier functions.
• MUC1's role in lower airway inflammation is increasingly recognized, but its function in upper airway diseases is less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review MUC1's involvement in Th1, Th2, and Th17-driven airway inflammation.
• To apply the unified airway disease (UAD) framework to analyze MUC1's endotype-specific roles.
• To explore MUC1 as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for precision medicine in airway inflammation.

Main Methods:

• Literature review synthesizing recent findings on MUC1 in airway inflammation.
• Analysis of MUC1's function across Th1, Th2, and Th17 immune response endotypes.
• Examination of MUC1's role within the unified airway disease (UAD) framework.

Main Results:

• MUC1 differentially regulates inflammatory pathways in Th1, Th2, and Th17 responses.
• MUC1 exhibits both protective and pathological effects in Th2 inflammation (e.g., eosinophil survival, glucocorticoid sensitivity).
• MUC1 may alleviate chronic inflammation and impact microbiome in Th17 responses.

Conclusions:

• MUC1's endotype-specific functions are critical for understanding unified airway disease.
• MUC1 holds translational potential as a diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target.
• Targeting MUC1 pathways offers opportunities for personalized therapies for airway inflammation.