Chaker AM, et al. - Researchers intended to assess the coregulation of mucosal activin-A and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β₁ in acute allergic and chronic Th2-driven upper airway disease. They used ELISPOTs and confocal microscopy to analyze mucosal specimens from patients with chronic upper airway disease with nasal polyps. They acknowledged the role of activin-A as a pro-inflammatory mediator and TGF-β₁ modifier in allergic upper airway disease. Increasing correlation of mucosal activin-A expression with IL-5 and TGF-β₁ at 0.25, 6, and 24 h, respectively, was observed and significant upregulation at 6 h after allergen challenge was seen. The data in the upper airways opposed the view of potentially anti-inflammatory properties in contrast to lymphatic compartments.