Neutrophils in asthma—A review

• Neutrophils are key regulatory cells in immunopathogenesis of asthma.
• Neutrophils release a variety of cytokines and chemokines which can influence airway remodeling.
• Neutrophils from asthmatic subjects present an increased expression of adhesion molecules, especially after allergen challenge.
• Asthmatic neutrophils show defective function compared with healthy subjects.
• The dominant subpopulation of inflammatory cells in non-eosinophilic phenotypes of asthma are neutrophils.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease, with an array of cells involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. The role of neutrophils in the development of bronchial asthma is found to be complex, as they may trigger activation of immunocompetent cells and are a potent source of free oxygen radicals and enzymes participating in airway remodeling. The review highlights the role of neutrophils in bronchial asthma.