American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Mar 2017
Endogenous Protease Inhibitor in Airway Epithelial Cells Contribute to Eosinophilic Chronic Rhinosinusitis.
Cystatin A and SPINK5 are endogenous protease inhibitors (EPIs) that may play key roles in epithelial barrier function. ⋯ Cystatin A and SPINK5 play an important role in protecting the airway epithelium from exogenous proteases. The preservation of EPIs may have a therapeutic benefit in intractable airway inflammation, such as eosinophilic CRS.