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Epithelial-mesenchymal communication in the pathogenesis of chronic asthma

Epithelial-mesenchymal communication in the pathogenesis of chronic asthma
Epithelial-mesenchymal communication in the pathogenesis of chronic asthma
Although Th-2–mediated inflammation is a key therapeutic target in asthma, its relationship to altered structure and functions of the airways is largely unknown. In addition to inflammation, asthma is a disorder involving the airway epithelium that is more vulnerable to environmental injury and responds to this by impaired healing. This establishes a chronic wound scenario that is capable of sustaining chronic inflammation as well as remodeling.
This response occurs as a consequence of activation of the epithelial–mesenchymal unit, involving reciprocal activities of growth factors belonging to the fibroblast growth factor, epidermal growth factor, and transforming growth factor-ß families. The observation that structural changes in the airways in children at or before the onset of asthma occurs irrespective of inflammation might suggest that premodeling is required before Th-2 inflammatory responses can be sustained. Once established, altered function of constitutive airway cells, including fibroblasts, smooth muscle, nerves, and the epithelium, provides an abnormal microenvironment in which to generate a separate set of signals that underpin the acute/subacute inflammation characteristic of asthma exacerbations, triggered by viruses, pollutants, and allergens.
asthma, airway remodeling, epithelial–mesenchymal trophic unit
1546-3222
93-98
Holgate, Stephen T.
2e7c17a9-6796-436e-8772-1fe6d2ac5edc
Holloway, John
4bbd77e6-c095-445d-a36b-a50a72f6fe1a
Wilson, Susan
21c6875d-6870-441b-ae7a-603562a646b8
Bucchieri, Fabio
d5c6c38a-8b02-4a37-afb0-c272033cb0d2
Puddicombe, Sarah
321bc1cb-022c-48d1-8b66-d91dff24f07b
Davies, Donna E.
7de8fdc7-3640-4e3a-aa91-d0e03f990c38
Holgate, Stephen T.
2e7c17a9-6796-436e-8772-1fe6d2ac5edc
Holloway, John
4bbd77e6-c095-445d-a36b-a50a72f6fe1a
Wilson, Susan
21c6875d-6870-441b-ae7a-603562a646b8
Bucchieri, Fabio
d5c6c38a-8b02-4a37-afb0-c272033cb0d2
Puddicombe, Sarah
321bc1cb-022c-48d1-8b66-d91dff24f07b
Davies, Donna E.
7de8fdc7-3640-4e3a-aa91-d0e03f990c38

Holgate, Stephen T., Holloway, John, Wilson, Susan, Bucchieri, Fabio, Puddicombe, Sarah and Davies, Donna E. (2004) Epithelial-mesenchymal communication in the pathogenesis of chronic asthma. Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society, 1 (2), 93-98. (doi:10.1513/pats.2306034).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Although Th-2–mediated inflammation is a key therapeutic target in asthma, its relationship to altered structure and functions of the airways is largely unknown. In addition to inflammation, asthma is a disorder involving the airway epithelium that is more vulnerable to environmental injury and responds to this by impaired healing. This establishes a chronic wound scenario that is capable of sustaining chronic inflammation as well as remodeling.
This response occurs as a consequence of activation of the epithelial–mesenchymal unit, involving reciprocal activities of growth factors belonging to the fibroblast growth factor, epidermal growth factor, and transforming growth factor-ß families. The observation that structural changes in the airways in children at or before the onset of asthma occurs irrespective of inflammation might suggest that premodeling is required before Th-2 inflammatory responses can be sustained. Once established, altered function of constitutive airway cells, including fibroblasts, smooth muscle, nerves, and the epithelium, provides an abnormal microenvironment in which to generate a separate set of signals that underpin the acute/subacute inflammation characteristic of asthma exacerbations, triggered by viruses, pollutants, and allergens.

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More information

Published date: 2004
Keywords: asthma, airway remodeling, epithelial–mesenchymal trophic unit

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 27126
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/27126
ISSN: 1546-3222
PURE UUID: a8154620-644f-4208-90dd-2fd83c407851
ORCID for John Holloway: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-9998-0464
ORCID for Susan Wilson: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-1305-8271
ORCID for Donna E. Davies: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-5117-2991

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 27 Apr 2006
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 02:57

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Contributors

Author: John Holloway ORCID iD
Author: Susan Wilson ORCID iD
Author: Fabio Bucchieri
Author: Sarah Puddicombe
Author: Donna E. Davies ORCID iD

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