Inflammatory cells remain in the blood even after treatment of severe asthma: a study
A recent study has revealed that while biological drugs, or biologics, have significantly improved the quality of life for people with severe asthma, they may not eliminate certain immune cells responsible for inflammation.
New Delhi: A recent study has revealed that while biological drugs, or biologics, have significantly improved the quality of life for people with severe asthma, they may not eliminate certain immune cells responsible for inflammation. These findings could explain why asthma symptoms often return once treatment is stopped.
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Study Conducted by Karolinska Institutet
Researchers from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden published their findings in the journal Allergy. They studied the effects of biologic treatments on immune cells in asthma patients and found unexpected results.
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Immune Cells With Inflammatory Potential Increase During Treatment
The study involved blood sample analysis from 40 patients before and during treatment with biologics. Surprisingly, the researchers found that specific immune cells known to cause inflammation in the airways did not decrease—in fact, some of them increased during treatment.
“This suggests that biologics might not attack the root of the problem, no matter how much they help asthma patients during treatment,” said Professor Jenny Mjösberg, expert in tissue immunology.
Advanced Techniques Reveal Deeper Insights
The research team employed advanced techniques such as flow cytometry and single-cell sequencing to explore the function and behavior of these immune cells. Their analysis confirmed a rise in inflammatory cell levels in blood, contradicting expectations that biologics suppress inflammation.
“This could explain why inflammation often returns when treatment is reduced or stopped,” said Lorenz Wirth, a doctoral student involved in the study.
Long-Term Effects of Biologics Still Unclear
Drugs like mepolizumab and dupilumab are widely used and have helped many asthma patients control symptoms. However, since they have been in use for less than a decade, there is still limited knowledge about their long-term immunological impact.
Future Research to Focus on Long-Term Treatment and Lung Tissue
The researchers now plan to analyze patients with long-term treatment history and study lung tissue samples to understand how immune cells behave in the airways over time.
