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[The common mucosal immune system in respiratory disease]
C Lamblin1, T Saelens, C Bergoin
1Clinique des Maladies Respiratoires, Hôpital A. Calmette, CH INSERM U 416, Institut Pasteur, 59000 Lille.
Revue Des Maladies Respiratoires
|December 29, 2000
Summary
Asthma involves inflammation in the lungs and other mucosal sites like the gut. This suggests the entire mucosal immune system, including bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT) and gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT), plays a role in asthma.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Respiratory Medicine
- Gastroenterology
Context:
- The mucosal immune system protects body surfaces from pathogens.
- Lymphocytes recirculate throughout mucosal tissues, including the lungs and gut.
- Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by airway inflammation.
Purpose:
- To investigate the involvement of the common mucosal immune system in asthma.
- To analyze inflammatory reactions in extra-pulmonary mucosal sites during asthma.
Summary:
- Asthma exhibits inflammatory responses in accessory salivary glands and the gut, mirroring lung inflammation.
- Key features include lymphocyte and mast cell infiltration, eosinophil activation, and increased inflammatory cytokines (IL-3, IL-5, GM-CSF).
- Similarities in Bronchus-Associated Lymphoid Tissue (BALT) and Gut-Associated Lymphoid Tissue (GALT) suggest a systemic mucosal immune involvement.
Impact:
- Findings suggest asthma is not limited to the airways but involves the entire mucosal immune network.
- This broadens the understanding of asthma pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets.
- Highlights the interconnectedness of mucosal immunity in systemic inflammatory diseases.