BACKGROUND House dust mite (HDM) induced matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 plays a role in asthma. Zingiber cassumunar Roxb. (Phlai in Thai) has been used in folk medicine for asthma treatment. OBJECTIVE We investigated effects of Phlai and its constituent (E)-4-(3',4'-dimethoxyphenyl)but-3-en-1-ol (compound D) on the cleavage of pro- MMP-9 by HDM. The effects of these compounds on phorbol 12-...

It is unclear how Th2 immunity is induced in response to allergens like house dust mite (HDM). Here, we show that HDM inhalation leads to the TLR4/MyD88-dependent recruitment of IL-4 competent basophils and eosinophils, and of inflammatory DCs to the draining mediastinal nodes. Depletion of basophils only partially reduced Th2 immunity, and depletion of eosinophils had no effect on the Th2 resp...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate hypersensitivity to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (D. pteronyssinus) and D. farinae in pediatric patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), and to assess the therapeutic value of using acaricides with other environmental anti house dust mites (HDM) measures. METHODS Ninety-eight children with AD were chosen randomly from the Pediatric Allergy Clinic in Al-Noor Hospital, Khal...

Background. Bronchial smooth muscle cells (BSMC) are a major source of proinflammatory and proangiogenic cytokines and chemokines, including VEGF and CXC-chemokines. CXC-chemokines act primarily on neutrophils, mediating their recruitment to and activation at the site of inflammation. In humans, house-dust mite (HDM) allergens can cause asthmatic exacerbations and trigger an inflammatory respon...

Epidemiological studies indicate that cigarette smoke exposure is a risk factor for increased sensitisation and asthma development. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of cigarette smoke on sensitisation and allergic airway inflammation in response to a low dose of house dust mite (HDM), and to obtain potential mechanistic insights. Mice were exposed to low doses of HDM extract comb...