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Airway epithelial cell damage in asthma: mechanisms and biomarkers
  • +2
  • Yuemei Yang,
  • man jia,
  • Yingwei Ou,
  • Ian Adcock,
  • Xin Yao
Yuemei Yang
Jiangsu Province People's Hospital and Nanjing Medical University First Affiliated Hospital

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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man jia
The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University
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Yingwei Ou
Jiangsu Province Hospital and Nanjing Medical University First Affiliated Hospital
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Ian Adcock
Imperial College London
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Xin Yao
Jiangsu Province Hospital and Nanjing Medical University First Affiliated Hospital
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Abstract

Bronchial asthma is a heterogeneous disease with complex pathological mechanisms representing different phenotypes, including severe asthma. The airway epithelium is a major site of complex pathological changes in severe asthma due, in part, to activation of inflammatory and immune mechanisms in response to noxious agents. Current imaging procedures are unable to accurately measure epithelial and airway remodeling. Damage of airway epithelial cells occurs is linked to specific phenotypes and endotypes which provides an opportunity for the identification of biomarkers reflecting epithelial, and airway, remodeling. Identification of patients with more severe epithelial disruption using biomarkers may also provide personalized therapeutic opportunities and/or markers of successful therapeutic intervention. Here, we review the evidence for ongoing epithelial cell dysregulation in the pathogenesis of asthma, the sentinel role of the airway epithelium and how understanding these molecular mechanisms provides the basis for the identification of candidate biomarkers for asthma prediction, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and monitoring.