Associations Between Asthma Severity and Responsiveness to Th2- and Th17-derived Cytokines in Pediatric Asthmatics

Mild and moderate allergic asthma are characterized by airway eosinophilia, airway hyperresponsiveness and a maladaptive Th2 response to aeroallergens, which is typically well controlled with steroids. Severe steroid refractory asthma is often associated with neutrophilic inflammation, elevated Th17 cell numbers and IL-17A. A mouse model of allergen-driven severe asthma supports an association between Th17 responses and severe disease, and demonstrate that severely asthmatic animals have increased production of Th17 cytokines and responsiveness to IL-17A.