The ability to cope with stress may decrease susceptibility to asthma, according to Rangasamy and colleagues on page 47. The absence of the transcription factor Nrf2, which helps cells respond to oxidative stress, exacerbated allergic responses in mice, leading senior author Shyam Biswal to speculate that inducers of the Nrf2 pathway may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of human asthma.

Influx of eosinophils (brown) into the lungs is increased in the absence of the transcription factor Nrf2 (bottom).

Asthma is a complex disorder that involves the recruitment of inflammatory cells, including eosinophils, to the lungs. Once there, these cells release reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are thought to contribute to lung tissue damage. Levels of ROS are normally counterbalanced by antioxidants, which are present at lower levels in the airways of asthma patients.

Here, Rangasamy and colleagues investigated the effect of oxidative stress...

The Rockefeller University Press
2005
The Rockefeller University Press
2005
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