TGFB1 and asthma: Furthermore, since ASMC contraction can activate TGF-β [139], which is a protein crucial for ECM production and the pathological remodelling of airways, it is possible that enhanced airway contraction in asthma drives structural changes within the airways, as shown in our previous study [164] Aberrant mechanotransduction in ASMCs is a major driver of asthma’s pathological airway remodelling.