The Role of Atopy in COPD and Asthma

Meropi Karakioulaki; Eleni Papakonstantinou; Antonios Goulas; Daiana Stolz

doi:10.3389/fmed.2021.674742

The Role of Atopy in COPD and Asthma

Front Med (Lausanne). 2021 Aug 18:8:674742. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2021.674742. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Meropi Karakioulaki^{1

2}, Eleni Papakonstantinou^{1

2}, Antonios Goulas², Daiana Stolz¹

Affiliations

¹ Clinic of Respiratory Medicine and Pulmonary Cell Research, University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
² First Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.

Abstract

Common to several allergic diseases is the generation of immunoglobulin E (IgE) by plasma cells, when exposed to an innocuous antigen. Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are two prevalent chronic airway inflammatory diseases. Asthma is mediated in some patients through eosinophilic inflammatory mechanisms that include allergic sensitization and Th2-mediated immune airway response. COPD, on the other hand is mainly considered a Th1-mediated inflammatory process with neutrophilic predominance or a non-Th2 inflammation, occasionally associated with the presence of airway bacteria or viruses. IgE production appears to play an important role in the development of both COPD and asthma, as it has been associated to respiratory symptoms, lung function, bacterial and viral infections, airway remodeling and bronchial hyperreactivity in both diseases. The aim of this review is to summarize all current data concerning the role of specific and total IgE in COPD and asthma and to highlight similarities and differences in view of possible therapeutic interventions.

Keywords: COPD; IgE; allergy; asthma; atopy.

Publication types

Review