Effect of Fasting on the Asthma Inflammasome

The NLRP3 inflammasome is part of the innate immune system that can be activated by atherosclerosis, gout and diabetes (sterile inflammation). As mitochondrial signaling can trigger the NLRP3 inflammasome, we initially proposed that fasting, via a nutrient-sensing mitochondrial program, would dampen this innate immune program. Our preliminary data shows that a 24-hour fasting does blunt NLRP3 inflammasome activation in healthy young individuals. Interestingly, this inflammasome program has been implicated in the pathophysiology of bronchoreactivity linked to asthma and intermittent fasting has been found to reduce disease exacerbations in asthmatic patients. The objective of this protocol will extend our investigations, from what we are finding in young control normal volunteers, to enable us to investigate stable mild-moderate asthmatic subjects to determine whether fasting can blunt inflammasome activation and assess whether this transient nutrient-deprivation maneuver can improve airflow. Blood samples and pulmonary function testing to assay the immune response and bronchoreactivity will be performed in subjects in response to a 24-hour fast (water intake will not be restricted) followed by re-testing 3 hours after a fixed caloric meal. The objective of this pilot study is to identify if these immune adaptive pathways can be subdued in human subjects with a known inflammasome linked disease. Additionally, this study may enable us to identify a potential therapeutic pathway to blunt/negate inflammation associated with nutrient-excess associated bronchoreactivity of asthma.