The airway epithelium dysfunction in the pathogenesis of asthma: The evidence

Salvatore Leonardi, Alfina Coco, Michele Miraglia Del Giudice, Gianluigi L. Marseglia, Mario La Rosa

Clinical Pediatric, 2nd University of Naples, Naples, Italy.
IRCCS University Hospital, San Martino, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
Pediatric Bronchopneumology and Cystic Fibrosis Unit, Department of Medical and Paediatric Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.

DOI: 10.4236/health.2013.52A044                

Abstract

Asthma is traditionally defined as a chronic, multisystem, multicellular disease characterized by bronchial hyper-responsiveness (BHR) and lung inflammation. In this illness is particularly involving the airway epithelium as the place where the inflammation begins, develops and often returns through airway remodelling. In specific way there is also an evolving awareness of the active participation of structural elements, such as the airway epithelium, airway smooth muscle, and endothelium, in this process. The airway inflammation and remodelling together likely explain the clinical manifestations of asthma that is demonstrated by complicated respiratory manifestations in which wheeze occurring secondary to bronchoconstriction in the setting of airway hyper-responsiveness and mucous hypersecretion. This is confirmed by also the histopathological analyses of bronchial biopsies from asthmatic subjects. For this reason is very important to understand the physiological role of the airway epithelium and their changes during the exacerbation of disease.

Keywords

Airway Epithelium; Dysfunction; Asthma; Evidence

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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