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Differential DNA methylation in allergen-specific immunotherapy of asthma

Cellular & Molecular Immunology volume 17, pages 1017–1018 (2020)Cite this article

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Asthma is a prevalent chronic disease that occurs due to airway inflammation. Exposure to allergic (e.g., house dust mites, pollens, and mold) or nonallergic (e.g., viral infection, tobacco smoke, and cold air) stimuli can trigger asthma. Allergic asthma is a T helper 2 (Th2) cell-mediated chronic inflammatory disease that is associated with genetic predisposition and environmental factors.1 Th2 cells secrete cytokines that induce immunoglobulin class switching to IgE antibodies, eosinophil activation, mucus hyperproduction, and the secretion of histamines and other mediators by mast cells, thereby contributing to airway hyperresponsiveness and bronchoconstriction.1 In recent years, epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) have revealed an interaction between epigenetic signatures and allergic diseases, including pediatric asthma.1,2

Epigenetic modulations include DNA methylation, histone modifications, and noncoding RNA modifications. Small noncoding RNAs such as microRNAs (miRNAs) can be involved in the posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression, and the analysis of miRNAs has been used in the diagnosis of allergic diseases.3 For example, miR-665 and miR-26a are reported to be disease-specific miRNAs related to asthma.3 Histone modification plays a role in the development of asthma. For example, histone 3 acetylation (a transcriptional activation marker) in the IL13 locus of CD4+ T cells is higher in children with asthma than in healthy children and corresponds to higher protein levels in serum.4 Many other studies have also disclosed the roles of histone modification in immune cells, airway smooth muscle cells, lung epithelial cells, and fibroblasts in allergic diseases.4 According to our knowledge and our previous investigations, we now focus on DNA methylation in allergies and asthma, especially its correlation with T-cell immune responses.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by a grant from the Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital Research Program (R107-011).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chia-Yi, Taiwan, China

    Chuang-Ming Wang & Chia-Bin Chang

  2. Min-Hwei Junior College of Health Care Management, Tainan, China

    Chuang-Ming Wang

  3. Department of Biomedical Sciences and Institute of Molecular Biology, National Chung Cheng University, Chia-Yi, Taiwan, China

    Chia-Bin Chang & Shu-Fen Wu

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  1. Chuang-Ming Wang
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Correspondence to Shu-Fen Wu.

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Wang, CM., Chang, CB. & Wu, SF. Differential DNA methylation in allergen-specific immunotherapy of asthma. Cell Mol Immunol 17, 1017–1018 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41423-020-0476-x

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