From gene identifications to therapeutic targets for asthma: Focus on great potentials of TSLP, ORMDL3, and GSDMB
Youming Zhang
Abstract
Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease, and clinically, asthma exacerbations remain difficult to treat. The disease is caused by combinations of and interactions between genetic and environmental factors. Genomic and genetic approaches identified many novel genes to treat asthma and brought new insights into the disease. The products of the genes have functional roles in regulating physiological or pathophysiological processes in airway structural cells and immune system cells. Genetic factors also interact with environmental factors such as air pollutants, and bacterial and viral infections to trigger the disease. Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), orosomucoid-like 3 (ORMDL3), and gasdermin B (GSDMB) are three genes identified by genetic studies to have a great potential as therapeutic targets of asthma. TSLP is an important driver of type 2 inflammation. ORMDL3 mediates cell stress, sphingolipid synthesis, and viral and bacterial infections. GSDMB regulates cell pyroptosis through its N and C terminals and can bind sulfatides to influence inflammatory response. Investigating inhibitors or modulators for these pathways would bring a new landscape for therapeutics of asthma in future.