Towards Targeting the ORigin of the Inflammatory Cascade in Allergic Asthma

Allergic asthma is a complex and heterogeneous disease caused by excessive responses to inhaled allergens. Current medication, including corticosteroids and bronchodilators, does not act on the origin of inflammation but rather combats symptoms, leaving many patients uncontrolled. Airway epithelium is critical for the initiation and progression of asthma pathology. We will include a 52 subjects divided over two groups: ongoing asthma (26 patients) and non-asthmatic healthy controls (26 subjects) in a cross-sectional study. All subjects will be extensively clinically characterized including respiratory symptoms/questionnaires, in- and expiratory CT-scans, and parameters of large and small airway function and inflammation. In addition, blood and nasal epithelial brushes will be obtained to study the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of asthma. Finally, bronchoscopy with bronchial biopsies and brushes will be performed under conscious sedation. Bronchial biopsies from both patient groups will be used for single cell transcriptional analysis.