Airway remodeling

The activation of mast cells by allergen initiates the asthma symptoms within minutes after allergen contact, the early allergic response (EAR), within horns the late allergic response (LAR), and within years and after rqDeated asthma episodes, chronic airway inflammation, airway remodeling, and airway hyperresponsiveness. 

Airway inflammation is a characteristic clinical feature of asthma. The distinction between the LAR and chronic inflammation becomes more difficult as the disease progresses. Infiltrated leukocytes release ototoxic mediators such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cationic (basic) proteins causing epithelial damage and cyfo/cmas that perpetuate the inflammation. Sustained inflammation leads to airway hyperrespon-siveness and airway remodeling. 

Airway obstruction manifests itself as symptoms such as chest tightness, cough, and wheezing. Airway obstruction can be caused by multiple factors including airway smooth muscle constriction, airway edema, mucus hypersecretion, and airway remodeling. Airway smooth muscle tone is maintained by an interaction between sympathetic, parasympathetic, and non-adrenergic mechanisms. Acute bronchoconstriction usually... 

Schuh JM, Power CA, Proudfoot AE, Kunkel SL, Lukacs NW, Hogaboam CM. Airway hyperresponsiveness, but not airway remodeling, is attenuated during chronic pulmonary allergic responses to Aspergillus in CCR4 / mice. FASEB J 2002 16(10) 1313—1315. 

Blease K, Mehrad B, Standiford TJ, et al. Airway remodeling is absent in CCRI mice during chronic fungal allergic airway disease. J Immunol 2000 ... 

Joubert, P. and Hamid, Q., Role of airway smooth muscle in airway remodeling, J. Allergy Clin. Immunol., 116, 713, 2005. 

Redington AE (2001) Airway remodeling in asthma. CME Bull Respir Med 3 37-40. 

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory condition characterized by bronchial hyper-responsiveness and reversible airway obstruction. Cytokine release from a variety of cell types such as eosinophils, lymphocytes and other inflammatory cells produces epithelial sloughing, plasma protein extravasation from the tracheobronchial microcirculation and airway remodeling. Bronchial mucosal inflammation is present in all patients. The primary goal of asthma management is to maintain control of the disease process by reducing symptoms and improving lung function. 

Elias JA. 2000. Airway remodeling in asthma. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 161 S168-S171. 

Chakir J, Laviolette M, Boutet M, Laliberte R, Dube J, Boulet LP Lower airways remodeling in nonasthmatic subjects with allergic rhinitis. Lab Invest 1996 75 735-744. 

Figure 27.14. Activation of intracellular signaling pathways and cytokine gene expression by air pollution particles containing transition metals and endotoxin. (From Walters, D. M., and Bonner, J. C. Signal transduction and cytokine expression in particulate matter (PM)-induced airway remodeling. In Foster, W. M., and Costa, D. L. (Eds.). Air Pollutants and the Respiratory Tract, 2nd edition, Taylor Francis, New York, 2005, pp. 233-258.)...

Asthma is a chronic relapsing inflammatory disorder that can lead to tissue distinction and airway remodeling characterised by epithelial dismption with smooth muscle and microvascular proliferation. Oxidative stress appears to play a central role in these changes as both increased ROS generation and decreased antioxidant defenses have been identified... 

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