Paradoxical eosinophilic and cytokine responses to oral corticosteroid treatment in patients with asthma exacerbations.

Background: Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) orchestrates eosinophilic inflammation, which may increase during asthma exacerbations. In contrast, microRNA-1 (miR-1) inhibits TSLP-mediated eosinophil trafficking in lung endothelium. Whether the balance of TSLP and miR-1 levels determines the response to oral corticosteroids (OCSs) during the treatment of asthma exacerbations remains unknown.