Asthma and autoimmunity

Abstract

The last decade has witnessed a growing interest in autoinflammation, which is related to an increase in knowledge about the immunopathogenesis of a broad spectrum of diseases, not only of immunological but also of allergic/inflammatory nature, such as asthma. Contrary to the belief that asthma and autoimmune diseases have little to share, a growing body of research supports autoimmune mechanisms underpinning disease severity in a subset of asthmatics, particularly severe asthmatics. Existing evidence suggests a plausible theory of breach of tolerance in asthma patients. The presence of autoantibodies as a hallmark of autoinflammation and the development of autoimmunity (clinical manifestations caused by autoantibody-mediated inflammation) in asthma are parts of a spectrum of immunological phenomena, following the pattern that innate and adaptive immune responses constitute the immunological continuum. Besides, cutting-edge molecular techniques have revealed common genetic variants between asthma and the wide spectrum of autoimmune diseases. © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.