The research team has uncovered a fundamental molecular signal that the nervous system uses to communicate with the immune system, potentially triggering allergic pneumonia leading to asthma.
The mechanisms behind the onset and progression of asthma are still not fully understood, but a team led by researchers at Brigham Hospital , MIT and Harvard researchers has uncovered a fundamental molecular signal that the nervous system uses to communicate with the immune system and could potentially cause allergic inflammation of the lungs leading to asthma. It became clear that neurons in the lungs are activated and produce molecules that turn immune cells into protective ones, which causes inflammation, which contributes to allergic reactions.
The research team looked closely at innate lymphoid cells, a type of immune cell that may play a role in maintaining a stable environment and protective barrier in the lungs, but may also contribute to allergic inflammation. Using a technique known as single-cell RNA sequencing, the team examined more than 65,000 individual cells that exist under normal conditions and in inflammation, looking for specific genes. By examining thousands of individual cells, scientists were able to determine what they needed by observing changes in discrete subpopulations .
To truly understand the mystery surrounding asthma and allergies, the authors say, one needs to take a closer look at each of the parts individually and understand how they come together to form an ecosystem of cells. This can be done with a single elemental analysis. And if you look closely, you can find that parts that seemed similar are subtly but very different from each other. Among the many distinguishing genes, in particular, stand out: Nmur1, the receptor for the neuropeptide NMU. In experiments in laboratory and animal models, the team confirmed that NMU signaling can significantly increase allergic inflammation when high levels of alarmins , molecules known to trigger immune responses, are present.
The team also noticed that lymphoid cells are located along with nerve fibers in the lungs. Neurons in the lungs can cause smooth muscle contractions that manifest as coughing and wheezing, the two main symptoms of asthma. Cough is a phenomenon that is regulated and controlled by the nervous system, so the authors were interested in the results indicating the role of NMU, which can cause smooth muscle contraction and inflammation. It is hypothesized that the NMU-NMUR1 pathway also plays a critical role in enhancing allergic responses in the gut and contributes to the development of food allergies. In addition to discovering a new neuro-immune pathway that leads to inflammation, the team also hope their findings will lead to new therapeutic insights. about how to potentially prevent or treat allergic asthma. The work may lead to the development of a new therapeutic approach to asthma prevention.