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Generation of a Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Model in Mice by Repeated Ozone Exposure
Published on: August 25, 2017
Practical and conceptual models of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Ian Sabroe1, Lisa C Parker, Steven K Dower
1Academic Unit of Respiratory Medicine, Section of Infection, Inflammation, and Immunity, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom. i.sabroe@sheffield.ac.uk
Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society
|December 13, 2007
Summary
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) presents complex challenges. Viewing COPD as a scale-free network with "contiguous immunity" may reveal key therapeutic targets.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Systems Biology
- Network Science
Background:
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) pathology is difficult to model using traditional in vitro and in vivo methods.
- The integration of immune responses with scarring and healing processes in COPD challenges conventional immune system definitions.
- COPD exemplifies a complex, interconnected network system, termed "contiguous immunity."
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose a novel framework for understanding COPD pathology.
- To introduce the concept of "contiguous immunity" in the context of COPD.
- To explore the potential of network theory in identifying therapeutic targets for COPD.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual framework development based on network theory.
- Analysis of biological processes in COPD through a network-based lens.
- Identification of potential key network components ("hubs") in COPD pathology.
Main Results:
- COPD pathology exhibits characteristics of scale-free networks.
- The proposed "contiguous immunity" model integrates diverse biological processes.
- Scale-free network properties may help identify critical disease hubs.
Conclusions:
- Viewing COPD as a scale-free network with contiguous immunity offers a new perspective.
- This network-based approach may facilitate the identification of novel therapeutic targets.
- Targeting key network hubs could lead to more effective COPD therapies.
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