Targeting the mast cell in asthma

The pulmonary mast cell is intimately associated with the mediation of asthma. Stabilization of mast cell activity, therefore, would be expected to be therapeutically beneficial. The principal frontline therapies used to treat asthma (i.e. bronchodilators; and steroids) inadequately control mast cell activity and this constitutes a limitation. Prospective (anti-IgE therapy, adenosine receptor antagonists, phosphodiesterase inhibitors) and potential (chemokine receptor antagonists, Toll-like receptor antagonists) therapies that are being considered for asthma may display variable mast cell-directed activities. Those strategies that target the mast cell more effectively are likely to show greater therapeutic promise.