title: Molecular phenotyping and biomarker development: are we on our way towards targeted therapy for severe asthma?
abstract: Although different phenotypes of severe asthma can be identified, all are characterized by common symptoms. Due to their heterogeneity, they exhibit differences in pathogenesis, etiology and clinical responses to therapeutic approaches. The identification of distinct molecular phenotypes to define severe asthmatic patients will allow us to better understand the pathophysiology of the disease and thus to more precisely target the treatment for each patient. To achieve this goal, a systematic search for new, reliable and stable biomarkers specific for each phenotype is essential. This review focuses on the current known molecular phenotypes of severe asthma and highlights the need for biomarkers that could (either alone or in combination) be predictive of the treatment outcome.
authors.affiliation: a Allergy and Respiratory Diseases, IRCCS San Martino-IST , University of Genoa , Genoa , Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Ferrari
authors.affiliation: a Allergy and Respiratory Diseases, IRCCS San Martino-IST , University of Genoa , Genoa , Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chiappori
authors.affiliation: a Allergy and Respiratory Diseases, IRCCS San Martino-IST , University of Genoa , Genoa , Italy.
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bagnasco
authors.affiliation: a Allergy and Respiratory Diseases, IRCCS San Martino-IST , University of Genoa , Genoa , Italy.
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Riccio
authors.affiliation: a Allergy and Respiratory Diseases, IRCCS San Martino-IST , University of Genoa , Genoa , Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Passalacqua
authors.affiliation: a Allergy and Respiratory Diseases, IRCCS San Martino-IST , University of Genoa , Genoa , Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio Walter
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Canonica
mesh_terms: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D010641:Phenotype; D057285:Precision Medicine; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: T helper 2; biomarkers; molecular phenotypes; monoclonal antibodies; personalized medicine; severe asthma; target therapy