Mediators of Inflammation in Pulmonary Diseases
1University of Patras, Patras, Greece
2University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
3Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
4Università degli studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
Mediators of Inflammation in Pulmonary Diseases
Description
Inflammation is supposed to play a great role in the pathogenesis of nearly all the most common diseases of the respiratory system. In bronchial asthma there are numerous proinflammatory mediators that are responsible for the onset and the progression of the disease. Moreover, in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), that is, a major cause of morbidity and mortality all around the world, cigarette smoke mainly causes the initiation of the inflammatory process that leads to an impaired respiratory function. Sleep disturbances, including sleep apnea, can lead to a chronic inflammation provoked by intermittent hypoxia that may cause endothelial dysfunction and increase the risk of coronary artery disease, hypertension, and even diabetes. Finally, pulmonary infections result in the orchestration of an inflammatory process that targets the causative agent in order to protect the host.
We particularly take an interest in manuscripts that clearly show the relationship between chronic tissue inflammation and the obstructive diseases of the airways, including bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Original research articles as well as reviews that summarize our current knowledge and demonstrate future perspectives on controlling inflammation using standard or novel diagnostic and therapeutic techniques are welcome. Moreover, papers dealing with the role of endothelial dysfunction in obstructive sleep apnea would be of great interest. Finally, manuscripts that discuss inflammatory process caused by infections of the respiratory system cannot be missing from this special issue. The immune response that takes place is crucial and should be well described.
Potential topics include, but are not limited to:
- Inflammation in COPD
- Mediators of inflammation in bronchial asthma
- Inflammatory pathways in sleep apnea
- Pulmonary infections and inflammatory response
- Respiratory infections that cause exacerbations of asthma/COPD
- Similarities and differences between inflammatory and infectious diseases of the lung