Presenting Author Soonchunhyang University Hospital
Background: Junctional adhesion molecule (JAM)-A is an immunoglobulin-like molecule that colocalizes with tight junctions (TJs) in endothelium and epithelium and is also found on blood leukocytes and platelets.
Objective: We aimed to elucidate the role of JAM-A on airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammation in asthma using a murine asthma model, and to check blood level of JAM-A in asthmatic patients.
Methods; Using mice sensitized and challenged with OVA, as well as mice sensitized and challenged with saline, we investigated whether Jam-a be involved in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma. The level of JAM-A was checked in the plasma of asthmatic patients and control subjects. The relation of JAM-A with clinical variables in patients with asthma was searched.
Results: JAM-A level had higher concentrations in plasma from patients with asthma (n = 19) than that of healthy controls (n = 12). JAM-A level was correlated with FVC%, FEV1%, FEV1/FVC, total IgE, and blood lymphocyte proportion in patients with asthma. Jam-a protein expression in lung tissue was significantly increased in OVA/OVA mice compared with control mice. Phospho-JNK and phosphor-ERK protein expression in lung tissue was significantly increased in OVA/OVA mice compared with control mice. A western blotting was used NHBE cells treated with HDM extracts for 4, 8 and 24 h. NHBE cells showed that HDM extracts resulted in increased JAM-A, phospho-JNK, phospho-ERK expression.
Conclusion; These data suggest that JAM-A be elevated in plasma of patients with asthma, which raise the possibility that JAM-A be involved in asthma through JNK and ERK pathway.
Support or Funding Information
This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT (NRF-2020R1A2C1006506) and Soonchunhyang University.
