The pathogenesis of asthma is a complex problem where environmental factors determine susceptibility. It is often triggered in children by allergens (from rodents, pets, dust mites and plant pollens) and irritants, especially cigarette smoke and other indoor and outdoor air pollutants. Air pollutants can exacerbate preexisting airway inflammation leading to increased airway hyper-responsiveness. The pollutants may also augment or modify immune responses to inhaled antigens or intensify the effect of other pollutants in the respiratory tract. Recent epidemiological studies revealed that diet is also a major risk factor in the pathogenesis of asthma. Most recently, dietary factors have been linked to poorer asthma health, pointing to a potential role for diet in perpetuating asthma morbidity. Insufficient intake of vitamins and other dietary nutrients during pregnancy, for example, have been associated with a greater risk of development of asthma and wheezing symptoms in children. The
Results from this research proposal will help us in defining and formulating dietary criteria for better asthma management. It will also elucidate the dietary interaction in the pathogenesis of asthma as well as develop therapeutic interventions. The results from this research proposal will narrow the current gap in our knowledge relating to dietary intake and asthma using our well-controlled mice model studies.
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