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For many years, scientists have understood that allergic asthma results from an overactive immune response, but much of the tiny biological control mechanisms behind this process have remained elusive.
Researchers at National Jewish Health have now identified one of these control switches, providing new hope for developing targeted asthma treatments.
Their research, published in Science Advances, focuses on a protein called CBX7. Previously, CBX7 was thought to mainly suppress gene activity within the cell nucleus.
The recent findings show that CBX7 behaves very differently during allergic asthma. Instead of inhibiting gene expression, it actually promotes inflammation. Allergic asthma occurs when the immune system overreacts to normally harmless substances like pollen, pet dander, dust mites, or mold.
This immune response releases chemicals that cause airway inflammation, making it harder to breathe. Chronic inflammation can damage lung tissue over time and increase the risk of severe asthma episodes.
Dr. Kapil Sirohi and his team found that allergens activate CBX7. Once activated, this protein performs two key functions.
First, it acts as a signaling molecule within the cell. Then, it moves into the nucleus to turn on genes that produce inflammatory cytokines—proteins that keep immune cells active and sustain the inflammation cycle.
When CBX7 activity was reduced, immune cells produced significantly fewer inflammatory cytokines, indicating that CBX7 plays a central role in the inflammatory pathway. The study also revealed that this process mainly occurs in immune cells rather than the airway lining cells.
This discovery is promising because drugs targeting specific molecules often have fewer side effects. Current asthma treatments mainly focus on controlling inflammation after it develops or relaxing airway muscles to ease breathing. A medication that blocks CBX7 could potentially disrupt the inflammatory process earlier.
However, this idea is still theoretical at this stage. The study did not involve testing new drugs, nor did it provide CBX7-blocking treatments to patients. Additional lab studies, animal experiments, and human clinical trials will be needed before new therapies become available.
Overall, this research offers important insights into how allergic asthma develops. By uncovering an unexpected molecular trigger, it opens new avenues for asthma research and could lead to more effective and precise treatments for millions living with the condition.
If you’re interested in health, check out studies on why inflammation is a major factor in common digestive diseases, and how vitamin B might help combat COVID-19 and reduce inflammation.
For additional health updates, see recent research on new methods to control excessive inflammation and foods that may trigger it.
Source: National Jewish Health.
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