PTEN: A New Player in Allergen-Induced Inflammation
Eosinophil accumulation and activation are important events in the
development of asthma and involve the enzyme PI3K. The phosphatase PTEN, a
major player in cell survival signaling, is known to oppose the action of
PI3K. Interested in the role of PTEN in bronchial asthma, Yong Lee and
colleagues studied the effects of PI3K inhibitors and PTEN in a mouse model
of allergen-induced bronchial inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness.
On pages 10831092 the authors show that PTEN expression is diminished in
airway epithelial cells of antigen-sensitized and -challenged mice.
Intratracheal administration of PI3K inhibitors or adenovirus carrying PTEN
cDNA remarkably reduced eosinophil levels and inflammation. One likely
mechanism for this reduction is PTEN-mediated eosinophil degranulation and
suppression of IL-4 and IL-5. The data support the potential use of PTEN or
other PI3K inhibitors for the regulation of allergic inflammation.
CONTACT:
Yong Chul Lee
Chonbuk National University Medical School
Department of Internal Medicine
634-18 Keumamdong
Chonju 561-712,
KOREA
Phone: 1-8263-250-1664
Fax: 1-8263-254-1609
E-mail: leeyc@moak.chonbuk.ac.kr
View the PDF of this article at:
https://www.the-jci.org/press/16440.pdf
Neuronal and Inflammatory Cell Interplay During Lung Injury
Neurogenic inflammation -- the initiation or amplification of the
inflammatory response to noxious stimuli by injured or irritated sensory
nerves -- is mediated by PPT-A geneencoded neurokinins stored primarily in
unmyelinated nerve fibers. Recent reports have also indicat
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Contact: Brooke Grindlinger
science_editor@the-jci.org
212-342-9006
Journal of Clinical Investigation
1-Apr-2003