Editing Chitinase (section)

== Clinical significance ==
Chitinases production in the human body (known as "human chitinases") may be in response to [[allergies]], and [[asthma]] has been linked to enhanced chitinase expression levels.<ref name="pmid16179638">{{cite journal | vauthors = Bierbaum S, Nickel R, Koch A, Lau S, Deichmann KA, Wahn U, Superti-Furga A, Heinzmann A | title = Polymorphisms and haplotypes of acid mammalian chitinase are associated with bronchial asthma | journal = American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine | volume = 172 | issue = 12 | pages = 1505–9 | date = December 2005 | pmid = 16179638 | pmc = 2718453 | doi = 10.1164/rccm.200506-890OC }}</ref><ref name="pmid15996009">{{cite journal | vauthors = Zhao J, Zhu H, Wong CH, Leung KY, Wong WS | title = Increased lungkine and chitinase levels in allergic airway inflammation: a proteomics approach | journal = Proteomics | volume = 5 | issue = 11 | pages = 2799–807 | date = July 2005 | pmid = 15996009 | doi = 10.1002/pmic.200401169 | s2cid = 38710491 }}</ref><ref name="pmid16159614">{{cite journal | vauthors = Elias JA, Homer RJ, Hamid Q, Lee CG | title = Chitinases and chitinase-like proteins in T(H)2 inflammation and asthma | journal = The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology | volume = 116 | issue = 3 | pages = 497–500 | date = September 2005 | pmid = 16159614 | doi = 10.1016/j.jaci.2005.06.028 }}</ref><ref name="pmid15192232">{{cite journal | vauthors = Zhu Z, Zheng T, Homer RJ, Kim YK, Chen NY, Cohn L, Hamid Q, Elias JA | title = Acidic mammalian chitinase in asthmatic Th2 inflammation and IL-13 pathway activation | journal = Science | volume = 304 | issue = 5677 | pages = 1678–82 | date = June 2004 | pmid = 15192232 | doi = 10.1126/science.1095336 | bibcode = 2004Sci...304.1678Z | s2cid = 19486575 }}</ref><ref name=chupp1>{{cite journal | vauthors = Chupp GL, Lee CG, Jarjour N, Shim YM, Holm CT, He S, Dziura JD, Reed J, Coyle AJ, Kiener P, Cullen M, Grandsaigne M, Dombret MC, Aubier M, Pretolani M, Elias JA | title = A chitinase-like protein in the lung and circulation of patients with severe asthma | journal = The New England Journal of Medicine | volume = 357 | issue = 20 | pages = 2016–27 | date = November 2007 | pmid = 18003958 | doi = 10.1056/NEJMoa073600 | doi-access = free }}</ref>

Human chitinases may explain the link between some of the most common allergies ([[dust mite]]s, mold spores—both of which contain chitin) and [[worm]] ([[helminth]]) infections, as part of one version of the [[hygiene hypothesis]]<ref name="pmid16202576">{{cite journal | vauthors = Maizels RM | title = Infections and allergy - helminths, hygiene and host immune regulation | journal = Current Opinion in Immunology | volume = 17 | issue = 6 | pages = 656–61 | date = December 2005 | pmid = 16202576 | doi = 10.1016/j.coi.2005.09.001 }}</ref><ref name="pmid14723608">{{cite journal | vauthors = Hunter MM, McKay DM | title = Review article: helminths as therapeutic agents for inflammatory bowel disease | journal = Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics | volume = 19 | issue = 2 | pages = 167–77 | date = January 2004 | pmid = 14723608 | doi = 10.1111/j.0269-2813.2004.01803.x | s2cid = 73016367 | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref name="pmid12756068">{{cite journal | vauthors = Palmas C, Gabriele F, Conchedda M, Bortoletti G, Ecca AR | title = Causality or coincidence: may the slow disappearance of helminths be responsible for the imbalances in immune control mechanisms? | journal = Journal of Helminthology | volume = 77 | issue = 2 | pages = 147–53 | date = June 2003 | pmid = 12756068 | doi = 10.1079/JOH2003176 | s2cid = 24555145 }}</ref> (worms have chitinous mouthparts to hold the intestinal wall). Finally, the link between chitinases and salicylic acid in plants is well established{{explain|reason=What is the content of this link? What does it explain?|date=December 2015}}—but there is a hypothetical link between salicylic acid and allergies in humans.<ref name="pmid1123257">{{cite journal | vauthors = Feingold BF | title = Food additives in clinical medicine | journal = International Journal of Dermatology | volume = 14 | issue = 2 | pages = 112–4 | date = March 1975 | pmid = 1123257 | doi = 10.1111/j.1365-4362.1975.tb01426.x | s2cid = 73187904 }}</ref>{{non sequitur|date=August 2021}}

May be used to monitor enzymotherapy supplementation in Gaucher's disease.[https://www.em-consulte.com/article/47075/gaucher-disease-and-chitotriosidase]