CFTR and asthma: Smith et al115 reported degradation of this protein in asthma patient bronchoalveolar lavage fluids,115 and absence as well as degradation of AnxA1 is a major feature in nasal epithelial cells from cystic fibrosis patients,116 linking defective cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) to synthesis and/or release of the protein.