Diminished airway macrophage expression of the Axl receptor tyrosine kinase is associated with defective efferocytosis in asthma

Up to 15% of the 300 million people affected by asthma worldwide suffer from disease refractory to available medications and associated with significant morbidity, particularly due to frequent exacerbations secondary to respiratory viral infections. Airway macrophages from patients with severe asthma are known to be defective in apoptotic cell clearance.1-3 Because phagocytosis of apoptotic cells, called efferocytosis, prevents secondary necrosis and the release of proinflammatory necrotic cell debris, defects in apoptotic cell uptake contribute to perpetuation of lung inflammation.