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HERO ID
6770979
Reference Type
Journal Article
Subtype
Review
Title
Epithelial barriers in allergy and asthma
Author(s)
Hellings, PW; Steelant, B
Year
2020
Is Peer Reviewed?
Yes
Journal
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
ISSN:
0091-6749
EISSN:
1097-6825
Volume
145
Issue
6
Page Numbers
1499-1509
Language
English
PMID
32507228
DOI
10.1016/j.jaci.2020.04.010
Web of Science Id
WOS:000539157800002
Abstract
The respiratory epithelium provides a physical, functional, and immunologic barrier to protect the host from the potential harming effects of inhaled environmental particles and to guarantee maintenance of a healthy state of the host. When compromised, activation of immune/inflammatory responses against exogenous allergens, microbial substances, and pollutants might occur, rendering individuals prone to develop chronic inflammation as seen in allergic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, and asthma. The airway epithelium in asthma and upper airway diseases is dysfunctional due to disturbed tight junction formation. By putting the epithelial barrier to the forefront of the pathophysiology of airway inflammation, different approaches to diagnose and target epithelial barrier defects are currently being developed. Using single-cell transcriptomics, novel epithelial cell types are being unraveled that might play a role in chronicity of respiratory diseases. We here review and discuss the current understandings of epithelial barrier defects in type 2-driven chronic inflammation of the upper and lower airways, the estimated contribution of these novel identified epithelial cells to disease, and the current clinical challenges in relation to diagnosis and treatment of allergic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, and asthma.
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