South Korean researchers identify Moesin as biomarker for asthma exacerbation

A research team led by Professor Jang An-su of Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital has identified a new blood protein, Moesin, that can effectively distinguish between stable and exacerbating asthma states.

In a study published in the international journal Allergy, researchers analyzed 10 different candidate proteins in the plasma of 100 asthma patients and 25 control subjects. Moesin demonstrated superior diagnostic performance with an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.986, a sensitivity of 97.3%, and a specificity of 91.7%.

Unlike existing biomarkers that focus on eosinophil counts, Moesin levels were significantly higher in patients during asthma exacerbations compared to those in stable states, while showing no significant difference between healthy individuals and stable asthma patients. This suggests Moesin reflects non-allergic inflammation and cytoskeletal changes rather than just the presence of asthma itself.

High Moesin concentrations were also correlated with higher white blood cell and IgE levels, as well as lower lung function. The team plans to conduct further studies to verify the clinical utility of Moesin for patient monitoring and the development of new treatment strategies.