Hemopoietic mechanisms in allergy

Evidence from many animal and human studies suggests that hemopoietic processes play an active role in allergy. This systemic aspect of allergic inflammation, involving the bone marrow, may explain associations noted among various atopic diseases and their manifestations, clinically and epidemiologically. Understanding the nature of this systemic process in allergy may lead to new, possibly more effective therapeutic approaches in the future. In this paper, we review specific hemopoietic mechanisms that are involved in the development of upper and lower airway inflammation, focusing on allergic rhinitis, asthma and nasal polyposis in human and animal studies. We describe the in vivo and in vitro effects of several anti-allergic modalities on these processes, concluding that the targeting of hemopoietic progenitors may be an essential requirement of effective therapy for allergic disease.