Bone Marrow Function in Development of Childhood Asthma
Abstract
Asthma is the most common reason for hospitalization of children in military hospitals. In children with asthma, exposure to allergen results in pulmonary damage due to invasion of eosinophils. Eosinophils are inflammatory cells with limited life spans, and must be continually renewed from the bone marrow. We adapted an animal model of asthma to study the effect of allergen exposure on eosinophil progenitor cells (CFU-eo). These studies have revealed that CFU-eo are elevated in the bone marrow of asthmatic mice following allergen exposure. Cytokines such as IL-5, SCF, IL-4 and leukotrienes influence eosinophil production during onset of asthma and these cytokines originate from bone marrow stromal cells. We have determined that both stromal cells and T cells have a contributory role in both normal and accelerated eosinophil production noted in asthma. In addition, inflammatory mediators released from the lung alter stromal cell support of eosinophilopoiesis and may contribute to the chronic inflammation associate with long term asthma.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA462858
Entities
People
- Mary B. Hogan
Organizations
- West Virginia University