title: New Insights Into the Relationship Between Chitinase-3-Like-1 and Asthma.
abstract: CHI3L1 (also known as YKL-40), a member of "mammalian chitinase-like proteins," is a serum protein lacking enzymatic activity. Although the protein is highly conserved in mammals, a consensus regarding its role in human pathologies is currently lacking. In an attempt to shed light on the many physiological functions of the protein, specifically with regard to asthma, a comprehensive overview of recent studies is provided.
  
  
  
  In asthma, CHI3L1 is secreted from macrophages and airway epithelial cells through an IL-13 related mechanism. Th2-associated inflammatory responses due to allergen exposure, resulting in airway hyper-responsiveness and smooth muscle contraction, play a role in tissue remodeling. The importance of CHI3L1 in initiation and development of asthma is not limited to its involvement in highly orchestrated events of inflammatory cytokines but further research is needed for further elucidation. Levels of the protein are associated with severity for numerous pathologies, including asthma, suggesting limited specificity as a biomarker.
authors.affiliation: Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.|Department of Immunology, International Branch of Aras, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.|Student's Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Daniel Elieh Ali
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Komi
authors.affiliation: Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Tohid
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kazemi
authors.affiliation: Tropical Medicine Laboratory Consultancy, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. apbussink@tropmedlab.nl.
authors.forename: Anton Pieter
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Bussink
mesh_terms: D056151:Airway Remodeling; D001249:Asthma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1
keywords: Asthma; Biomarker; CD4+Th2 lymphocytes; CHI3L1; Chitinase; Chitinase-like protein; IL-13; IL-4; SNP; YKL-40