ADAM-33Surfaces as an Asthma Gene

Abstract
A recent study identified ADAM-33 as an asthma gene. ADAMs are a subfamily of metalloproteinases, originally identified as proteins on the cell surface, that have two functional domains, a disintegrin and a metalloprotease domain (hence, the acronym ADAM). The authors speculate on the ways in which an excess or deficiency of ADAM-33 could result in the expression of the asthma phenotype.