Association between HMGB1 and asthma: a literature review

BACKGROUND: Recently, some studies demonstrated that HMGB1, as proinflammatory mediator belonging to the alarmin family, has a key role in different acute and chronic immune disorders. Asthma is a complex disease characterised by recurrent and reversible airflow obstruction associated to airway hyper-responsiveness and airway inflammation. OBJECTIVE: This literature review aims to analyse advances on HMGB1 role, employment and potential diagnostic application in asthma. METHODS: We reviewed experimental studies that investigated the pathogenetic role of HMGB in bronchial airway hyper-responsiveness, inflammation and the correlation between HMGB1 level and asthma. RESULTS: A total of 19 studies assessing the association between HMGB1 and asthma were identified. CONCLUSIONS: What emerged from this literature review was the confirmation of HMGB-1 involvement in diseases characterised by chronic inflammation, especially in pulmonary pathologies. Findings reported suggest a potential role of the alarmin in being a stadiation method and a marker of therapeutic efficacy; finally, inhibiting HMGB1 in humans in order to contrast inflammation should be the aim for future further studies.