Additionally, individuals with asthma who are infected with HCV and respond to IFN therapy showed a reduction in symptoms and severity of asthma attacks.
Rhinovirus infections are the dominant cause of asthma exacerbations, and deficient virus induction of IFN-α/β/λ in asthmatic patients is important in asthma exacerbation pathogenesis.
IFN-α1, IFN-β1 and IFN-γ mRNA levels correlated with the peak Asthma Index (r = 0.58, P < 0.001; r = 0.57, P = 0.001; and r = 0.51, P = 0.004, respectively).
The results indicate that IAV and RSV control and IFN response to these viruses in airway epithelial cells is remarkably similar between subjects with and without asthma.
The roles of NF-κB and IFN regulatory factor-3 (IRF-3) in the poly(I:C)-mediated production of MMPs and the responsiveness to poly(I:C) of normal lung fibroblasts and asthmatic lung fibroblasts were also investigated.
Here, we studied IFN-lambda mRNA expression in the airways of stable asthmatics in comparison with healthy subjects and in relation to asthma symptoms, non-invasive parameters of airway inflammation and lung function parameters.
IFN-gamma and IFN regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1) affect Th1/Th2 cytokine balance, and influence the differentiation of Th2 cells, which influence the development of asthma.