Targeting nerve endings to curb allergic asthma
Friday, June 26, 2015 - 08:00
in Health & Medicine
A study supports a surprising alternative approach to controlling asthma: targeting certain sensory nerve endings in the lungs. The researchers show that specialized sensory neurons called nociceptors are not only activated by allergic inflammation, but also exacerbate the allergic immune response. When these neurons are selectively silenced in mouse models of acute and chronic asthma, both inflammation and bronchial twitchiness are reduced.