Asthma is a heterogeneous disease characterized by chronic airway inflammation and bronchial hyperresponsiveness. The pathogenesis of asthma is complex and far from fully understood. It is believed that the interaction between genetic background and environmental factors leads to immune imbalance and chronic airway inflammation, which plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of asthma.
Research from basic and clinical studies revealed that respiratory infection is one of the most important environmental factors related to asthma. Respiratory tract microbial infection is not only a trigger for the acute attack of asthma but also a high-risk factor for the onset of asthma. Chronic colonization of Mycoplasma pneumonia, Chlamydophila pneumonia, or certain bacteria within the mucosa may act as a promoter. However, the exact mechanism of how respiratory tract infection could be involved in the pathogenesis of asthma is not clear.
Accumulating study indicated that the interaction of environmental factors such as microbes and allergens with airway epithelium is the key component of asthma. The airway epithelium is the first tissue that is exposed to microbe, inhaled allergens, or pollutants in the environment. It is not only regarded as the central part of the local immune response but also as a bridge between innate and adaptive immune, which may contribute to asthma pathogenesis. Advance in the pathogenesis of asthma has made great progress, such as new cytokines, inflammatory pathways, and new functions of immune cells in innate and adaptive mucosal immunity, but there are still many questions that need to be clarified, especially how the crosstalk between respiratory tract microorganisms, allergens, and epithelial cells leads to immune imbalance and contribute to the pathogenesis of asthma.
This Research Topic aims to follow the latest advances in the underlying immunological pathogenesis of asthma. We hope this topic to provide a forum to advance research on the contribution of immune cells, inflammatory pathways, and respiratory infection in the mucosa of airway to the pathogenesis of asthmatic airway inflammation, airway remodeling and/or related conditions, with a special focus on the synergistic effect of respiratory microorganisms and allergen in shaping mucosal immunity and pathogenesis of asthma.
We welcome the submission of Original Research articles (either clinical or basic), Reviews, Meta-analysis, Clinical Trial articles covering, but are not limited to, the following subtopics around asthmatic airway inflammation, airway remodeling and/or related conditions:
1. Respiratory tract infection, colonization of respiratory microorganisms, and development of asthma.
2. The mechanisms of crosstalk between infectious inflammation and allergic inflammation in shewing mucosal immunity and pathogenesis of asthma.
3. Involvement of inflammasomes, novel inflammatory pathways in shaping mucosal immunity and pathogenesis of asthma
4. Mechanism of the mucosal novel immuno-inflammatory network in the development of asthma.
Asthma is a heterogeneous disease characterized by chronic airway inflammation and bronchial hyperresponsiveness. The pathogenesis of asthma is complex and far from fully understood. It is believed that the interaction between genetic background and environmental factors leads to immune imbalance and chronic airway inflammation, which plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of asthma.
Research from basic and clinical studies revealed that respiratory infection is one of the most important environmental factors related to asthma. Respiratory tract microbial infection is not only a trigger for the acute attack of asthma but also a high-risk factor for the onset of asthma. Chronic colonization of Mycoplasma pneumonia, Chlamydophila pneumonia, or certain bacteria within the mucosa may act as a promoter. However, the exact mechanism of how respiratory tract infection could be involved in the pathogenesis of asthma is not clear.
Accumulating study indicated that the interaction of environmental factors such as microbes and allergens with airway epithelium is the key component of asthma. The airway epithelium is the first tissue that is exposed to microbe, inhaled allergens, or pollutants in the environment. It is not only regarded as the central part of the local immune response but also as a bridge between innate and adaptive immune, which may contribute to asthma pathogenesis. Advance in the pathogenesis of asthma has made great progress, such as new cytokines, inflammatory pathways, and new functions of immune cells in innate and adaptive mucosal immunity, but there are still many questions that need to be clarified, especially how the crosstalk between respiratory tract microorganisms, allergens, and epithelial cells leads to immune imbalance and contribute to the pathogenesis of asthma.
This Research Topic aims to follow the latest advances in the underlying immunological pathogenesis of asthma. We hope this topic to provide a forum to advance research on the contribution of immune cells, inflammatory pathways, and respiratory infection in the mucosa of airway to the pathogenesis of asthmatic airway inflammation, airway remodeling and/or related conditions, with a special focus on the synergistic effect of respiratory microorganisms and allergen in shaping mucosal immunity and pathogenesis of asthma.
We welcome the submission of Original Research articles (either clinical or basic), Reviews, Meta-analysis, Clinical Trial articles covering, but are not limited to, the following subtopics around asthmatic airway inflammation, airway remodeling and/or related conditions:
1. Respiratory tract infection, colonization of respiratory microorganisms, and development of asthma.
2. The mechanisms of crosstalk between infectious inflammation and allergic inflammation in shewing mucosal immunity and pathogenesis of asthma.
3. Involvement of inflammasomes, novel inflammatory pathways in shaping mucosal immunity and pathogenesis of asthma
4. Mechanism of the mucosal novel immuno-inflammatory network in the development of asthma.
