Journal of Allergy

Function of the Airway Epithelium in Asthma


Publishing date
15 Nov 2011
Status
Published
Submission deadline
15 May 2011

1Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

2UBC James Hogg Research Centre, Vancouver, Canada

3Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA

4Southampton General Hospital, School of Medicine, Southampton, UK


Function of the Airway Epithelium in Asthma

Description

Increasingly strong evidence indicates that the airway epithelium plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of asthma and may serve as a key orchestrator of the events leading to persistent asthma. In humans, the aberrant expression of epithelial genes along with structural remodeling of the airway epithelium may be important factors leading to persistence of asthma. In vitro studies demonstrate that epithelial cells from asthmatic subjects retain intrinsic proinflammatory and profibrotic properties that result in alterations in wound repair and dedifferentiation of the epithelium in model systems. In mouse models, several key epithelial products such as thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) have been shown to be sufficient to initiate the asthmatic response; further, damage to the airway epithelium with cationic proteins enhances airway hyperresponsiveness via airway closure. Finally, airway epithelial cells are an important source of mucins and other secreted mediators of innate defense which may function abnormally in asthma.

We invite authors to submit original research and review articles that seek to understand the nature of epithelial dysfunction in asthma, and the function of the epithelium in the pathogenesis of asthma. In particular, we are interested in human studies examining epithelial genes, and alterations in epithelial structure, in vitro studies investigating the function of the epithelium relevant to asthma, and murine models focusing on the role of the epithelium in asthma pathogenesis. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Genetic association studies of epithelial candidate genes
  • Studies that aid our understanding of how lipid mediators influence epithelial cell function
  • Studies that assess alterations in epithelial structure and function in asthma with regards to barrier function, disruption of tight junctions, differentiation, regeneration, and EMT
  • Studies examining epithelial gene expression programs in asthma, particularly factors that regulate gene expression including epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, and micro-RNAs
  • Models focusing on epithelial factors that lead to airway inflammation and remodeling as well as detailed examinations of epithelial morphometry
  • In vitro models designed to understand alterations in wound repair by airway epithelial cells from asthmatic subjects
  • Studies examining the function of pattern recognition, immunoglobin, and protease activated receptors on the airway epithelium
  • In vitro and model systems focusing on the regulation and recruitment of immune cells by the airway epithelium
  • Studies examining mechanisms of mucin production, secretion, and function in the airway

Before submission authors should carefully read over the journal's Author Guidelines, which are located at http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ja/guidelines/. Prospective authors should submit an electronic copy of their complete manuscript through the journal Manuscript Tracking System at http://mts.hindawi.com/ according to the following timetable:


Articles

  • Special Issue
  • - Volume 2012
  • - Article ID 160586
  • - Editorial

Function of the Airway Epithelium in Asthma

Teal S. Hallstrand | Prescott G. Woodruff | ... | Darryl A. Knight
  • Special Issue
  • - Volume 2012
  • - Article ID 819176
  • - Research Article

Immunolocalization of NLRP3 Inflammasome in Normal Murine Airway Epithelium and Changes following Induction of Ovalbumin-Induced Airway Inflammation

Hai B. Tran | Martin D. Lewis | ... | Carol J. Lang
  • Special Issue
  • - Volume 2012
  • - Article ID 316049
  • - Review Article

Mechanisms of Remodeling in Asthmatic Airways

Adrian Shifren | Chad Witt | ... | Mario Castro
  • Special Issue
  • - Volume 2012
  • - Article ID 943982
  • - Research Article

Evaluation of Differentiated Human Bronchial Epithelial Cell Culture Systems for Asthma Research

Ceri E. Stewart | Elizabeth E. Torr | ... | Ian Sayers
  • Special Issue
  • - Volume 2011
  • - Article ID 948406
  • - Review Article

Apoptosis and the Airway Epithelium

Steven R. White
  • Special Issue
  • - Volume 2011
  • - Article ID 257017
  • - Review Article

Responses of Airway Epithelium to Environmental Injury: Role in the Induction Phase of Childhood Asthma

Rakesh K. Kumar | Jessica S. Siegle | ... | Paul S. Foster
  • Special Issue
  • - Volume 2011
  • - Article ID 587204
  • - Research Article

IL-17F Induces CCL20 in Bronchial Epithelial Cells

Kyoko Nozato | Junichi Fujita | ... | Nobuyuki Hizawa
  • Special Issue
  • - Volume 2011
  • - Article ID 785983
  • - Review Article

[Retracted] Immunopathology and Immunogenetics of Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis

Alan P. Knutsen

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