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    • The Malaghan Institute is trying to isolate the asthma1 immune response2 in the hope of developing a vaccine3.

    In this RNZ programme, Researching an asthma vaccine, Amelia Nurse talks to Franca Ronchese and Graham Le Gros from the Malaghan Institute. They are looking into isolating the asthma immune response.

    Duration: 18:39

    Why asthma starts

    We know a lot about asthma symptoms, but we don’t know how it starts and why it starts in the first months of life or at any time later in life. Our immune system4 is programmed to react efficiently when there’s a virus5 infection6, and it’s quite specific. With asthma, the signals get mixed up. It could be that, with the level of hygiene in modern society and by removing certain parasites7 and bacterial infections8, the immune system is not being trained in the right way.

    TH2 cells

    TH2 cells are associated with the immune system’s allergic response to a parasite9. TH2 cells could be viewed as good cells that get confused. The TH2 response causes inflammation10 and damage to the lungs so that air can’t get in and out. TH2 cells have a memory, so once you’ve had your first asthma attack, they will continue to react in that way.

    Dendritic cells

    The dendritic cells11 are the immune system’s first line of defence. When the allergen is breathed in, the dendritic cells decide what immune response to start. This is usually a TH2 immune response that induces a lot of damage to the airways and is what we call an asthma attack. We use steroids that are blanket immune suppressive agents because we haven’t found a way to selectively suppress a TH2 immune response. It’s a good temporary measure to get the immune system to calm down but is not a long-term measure.

    Using the killer cells

    Research to find a better treatment involves dendritic cells and CD8 cells or killer cells. Scientists think that killer cells can react to allergens and balance the reaction of the TH2 cells. In their experiments, mice have been given a vaccine that activates the killer cells and stops the TH2 responses. However, they don't know yet whether this would work in patients. There is still a lot of research to do, but potentially in 10 years, there could be a vaccine for asthma.

    Related content

    Find out more about the body’s immune system and vaccines in this article that introduces some of our resources on fighting infection.

    Programme details: Our Changing World

    1. asthma: A common chronic inflammatory lung disease. It is an allergic disease caused by an immune disorder.
    2. immune response: How your body recognises and defends itself against bacteria, viruses and substances that appear foreign and harmful.
    3. vaccine: A substance that improves immunity to a particular disease. The vaccine stimulates the body’s immune system so that it can more easily recognise and destroy a particular microorganism that it later encounters.
    4. immune system: The natural defence system found in living things.  In humans, a network of organs, cells and proteins that helps to protect us against anything it recognises as being an ‘invader’ or ‘foreign’, for example, bacteria, viruses, cancer cells, parasites and transplanted organs and tissues. In plants, a network of disease resistance genes enable plants to detect and resist things like fungi, bacteria, viruses, nematodes and insects.
    5. virus: A microscopic infectious particle that can only multiply inside the cells of living organisms. They are capable of taking over the cell to produce copies of itself. They are inactive outside of a living host cell.
    6. infection: Invasion of the body or a species by something that could be harmful or cause a disease.
    7. parasite: An organism that lives in or on another organism. Parasites usually cause harm to their host organism.
    8. infection: Invasion of the body or a species by something that could be harmful or cause a disease.
    9. parasite: An organism that lives in or on another organism. Parasites usually cause harm to their host organism.
    10. inflammation: The first response of tissues to irritation or infection, which results in swelling, redness, heat and pain in the affected tissue.
    11. dendritic cells: A key part of the immune system; these cells present foreign substances to other immune system cells.
    Published 19 July 2013 Referencing Hub articles
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        asthma

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        2. A common chronic inflammatory lung disease. It is an allergic disease caused by an immune disorder.

        immune system

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        3. The natural defence system found in living things. 

        In humans, a network of organs, cells and proteins that helps to protect us against anything it recognises as being an ‘invader’ or ‘foreign’, for example, bacteria, viruses, cancer cells, parasites and transplanted organs and tissues.

        In plants, a network of disease resistance genes enable plants to detect and resist things like fungi, bacteria, viruses, nematodes and insects.

        parasite

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        4. An organism that lives in or on another organism. Parasites usually cause harm to their host organism.

        immune response

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        5. How your body recognises and defends itself against bacteria, viruses and substances that appear foreign and harmful.

        virus

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        6. A microscopic infectious particle that can only multiply inside the cells of living organisms. They are capable of taking over the cell to produce copies of itself. They are inactive outside of a living host cell.

        inflammation

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        7. The first response of tissues to irritation or infection, which results in swelling, redness, heat and pain in the affected tissue.

        vaccine

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        8. A substance that improves immunity to a particular disease. The vaccine stimulates the body’s immune system so that it can more easily recognise and destroy a particular microorganism that it later encounters.

        infection

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        9. Invasion of the body or a species by something that could be harmful or cause a disease.

        dendritic cells

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        10. A key part of the immune system; these cells present foreign substances to other immune system cells.

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