Findings recently published in Cellular Signaling uncovered a potential mechanism by which neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a potential complication of fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT), reduces the severity of asthma during adulthood.
NEC is a serious, potentially life-threatening gastrointestinal disorder that typically occurs in premature infants. The condition is characterized by inflammation of the colon and intestine, along with tissue death. NEC has previously been reported in infants with FNAIT and is believed to reduce the severity of asthma symptoms in adulthood.
In their study, the authors induced NEC in neonatal mice using a specialized diet. Then, they induced asthma during adulthood via exposure to ovalbumin, a protein that triggers inflammatory responses in the respiratory tract.
The study included four groups: Mice without NEC or asthma, mice with NEC alone, mice with asthma alone and mice with both NEC and asthma. A series of biochemical experiments were carried out to uncover the mechanism linking NEC to reduced asthma severity.
Read more about FNAIT prognosis
Results showed that the NEC-exposed mice with asthma experienced decreased inflammation of the airway compared to the mice with asthma alone. Furthermore, mice with NEC had significantly lower levels of eosinophils, a type of white blood cell involved in asthma and allergic reactions, in the lungs.
In particular, the eosinophils of mice with NEC were prone to ferroptosis, a specialized form of cell death. “It is reasonable to hypothesize that eosinophil reduction may serve as a critical mediator in asthma symptom alleviation or risk mitigation,” the authors wrote.
The study also found that several inflammatory pathways were downregulated in the lungs of asthmatic mice exposed to NEC, further supporting the role of NEC in alleviating asthma severity in adult mice.
In another experiment, the authors treated eosinophils with activators of ferroptosis and transplanted them into the lungs of mice with asthma. Then, they administered dexamethasone, a corticosteroid, to the mice. The treated mice experienced diminished asthma airway inflammation with this combination treatment.
“These findings establish a mechanistic framework, providing theoretical support for exploring eosinophil ferroptosis as a new therapeutic target for asthma,” the authors wrote.
Sign up here to get the latest news, perspectives, and information about FNAIT sent directly to your inbox. Registration is free and only takes a minute.
