Type I and III interferons in asthma and respiratory infections: New insights for potential treatments

Asthma is a chronic lower respiratory system disease with high global prevalence and mortality rates. It is characterized by several clinical symptoms, including coughing, wheezing, dyspnea, and breathing difficulties. Despite extensive research on asthma treatment, no definitive cure exists. Current treatments primarily focus on symptom relief through corticosteroid agents and bronchodilators. Various factors contribute to the pathogenesis of asthma, with an imbalance in type 1/2 immune responses and a shift toward type 2 responses being a primary cause. Environmental factors, such as infections with rhinoviruses (RV) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), can increase the risk of asthma and exacerbate its symptoms. Moreover, the presence of allergic inflammation in the airways leads to an increased risk of developing these respiratory infections. One of the body's initial defence mechanisms against viruses, before the activation of adaptive immunity, involves the enhanced production of various type I and III interferons. Type I interferons include subtypes such as alpha, beta, tau, omega, kapa, zeta, delta, and epsilon, while type III interferons include lambda 1-4. By binding to their respective receptors on various cell types, interferons activate ISGs (interferon-stimulated genes), exerting antiviral effects, anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic actions and immunomodulatory effects. These effects help eliminate viruses, which are triggers of asthma, thereby contributing to asthma alleviation. Also, deficiency of these cytokines increases the susceptibility to viral infections and asthma. The critical role of interferons in asthma associated with pathogens highlights their potential therapeutic application for this disease. This study provides a comprehensive discussion of the characteristics of type I and III interferons and their effects on signaling pathways involved in asthma pathogenesis.