The immunopathology of extrinsic (atopic) and intrinsic (non-atopic) asthma: more similarities than differences

Intrinsic asthma shows no clinical or serological evidence of IgE-mediated allergy to common environmental agents. Similar to extrinsic asthma, bronch ial biopsies from such patients show enhanced expression of Th2-type cytoki nes, CC chemokines and I epsilon/C epsilon compared with controls. These fi ndings suggest that there might be local IgE production directed against un known antigens, possibly of viral origin or even autoantigens, in this impo rtant clinically distinct variant of the disease.