Population of sensory neurons essential for asthmatic hyperreactivity of inflamed airways

Abstract

Significance Asthma is an inflammatory airway disease characterized by acute attacks in which airway constriction impedes breathing. The variable success of anti-inflammatory treatments in managing asthma attacks suggests that additional mechanisms contribute to this symptom. Here, we used a mouse model of acute asthma to show that a subset of sensory neurons mediates the hyperreactive airway responses. These findings define a cellular substrate outside the immune system that may serve as an important target in the management of asthmatic airway hyperreactivity.