tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6479972171301319265.post1413741430156167168..comments2024-03-02T05:54:49.262-05:00Comments on Mad Scientist, Jr.: Not-So-Mad Science: IL-13 vs. IL-4 In The Battle For Asthma!Toaster Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10388782618295656406noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6479972171301319265.post-71993003594339452072010-04-29T12:45:38.152-04:002010-04-29T12:45:38.152-04:00I'm a research fellow in the Wills-Karp lab an...I'm a research fellow in the Wills-Karp lab and you did a pretty good job of summarizing the findings.<br /><br />Basically, if you give mice, OVA, ragweed, house dust mite extract, etc, IL-13 is strongly increased. When you block IL-13, airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) is practically abolished. Moreover, if you give IL-13 alone, you can recapitulate pretty much all the manifestations of allergic asthma: AHR, mucus, smooth muscle thickening, etc.<br /><br />There is a recent study showing that blockade of IL-14/IL-13 in human asthmatics decreases airway reactivity, therefore demonstrating that the mice data, also works in humans!<br /><br />Thanks!<br />S.Cytokine freaknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6479972171301319265.post-28456795913533088652009-03-25T20:27:00.000-04:002009-03-25T20:27:00.000-04:00OK, OK, I know it doesn't prove the claim absolute...OK, OK, I know it doesn't <I>prove</I> the claim absolutely, but it does a pretty thorough job of doing so for OVA models in mice. In real world humans with more complex environments, it will likely be a much more intricate system. However, I had already used the terms "sufficient", "necessary", and "required" quite a bit in their proper research contexts and figured I should try to bridge back over to civilianspeak a little. I was actually questioning the wisdom of relying on those terms since I know this stuff sometimes gets read by non-scientists who would likely see them differently.Toaster Sunshinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10388782618295656406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6479972171301319265.post-45455598119288510472009-03-25T19:32:00.000-04:002009-03-25T19:32:00.000-04:00Very interesting! I actually haven't worked much w...Very interesting! I actually haven't worked much with IL-13, so some of this was new (or forgotten). <BR/><BR/><I>"These findings prove that IL-13 has a significant role in asthma."</I> <BR/><BR/>I'm going to have to disagree with this statement, however, since it only <B>indicates</B> a role but doesn't actually "prove" anything. This is something my boss dings us on all the time, so an alarm buzzer goes off anytime I read it.<BR/><BR/>Great post though! Good explanation of what the immunoglobulin classes are, and why it's important, and T-cell differentiation. My immunology professor LOVED asthma (it was his area of research) so grad students were required to write a review paper about a particular aspect of hyper-reactive physiologic responses. <BR/><BR/>I'm going to look up some stuff on IL-13 after I finish my bone stuff for the night, then come back with some Qs :-)Science Bearhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01926107878730562800noreply@blogger.com