Asthma in Children: Study Reveals New Therapeutic Target

A team led by PD Dr. Constanze Jakwerth and Prof. Dr. Carsten Schmidt-Weber has uncovered how the asthma risk gene 17q21 increases susceptibility to viral infections in children.

Published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the study shows that the risk allele boosts GSDMB expression, leading to inflammation and a weakened antiviral response. The researchers analyzed nasal samples from 261 children, revealing a potential mechanism behind virus-triggered asthma. These insights open the door for targeted therapies aimed at modulating GSDMB, offering hope for preventing asthma in genetically predisposed children.

Link to publication