OBJECTIVE To explore the mechanism of the bronchial asthma and to study the treating effects of Zhichuan Capsule on the airway remodeling of asthmatic model rats. METHODS The rat model was established by being sensitized and activated with different density of ovalbumin through prolonged and repeated exposure for 8 weeks. The rats were randomly divided into model group, Zhichuan Capsule treat...

Allergic asthma is characterized by airway inflammation in response to chronic allergen exposure, resulting in remodeling of the airway wall accompanied by dysfunctional airway physiology. However, a link between the immune-inflammatory response to allergen and changes to airway structure and physiology has not yet been fully elucidated. Moreover, the impact of inhaled corticosteroids and beta(...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Irreversible airflow limitation develops in some patients with asthma and is related to poorer prognosis. This paper reviews recent literature on natural course, risk factors, and potential mechanisms of persistent airflow limitation in asthma. RECENT FINDINGS The natural course of persistent airflow limitation in asthma is poorly known, but reduced lung function at disease ...

Asthma is a chronic airway inflammatory disease that encompasses three cardinal processes: T helper (Th) cell type 2 (Th2)-polarized inflammation, bronchial hyperreactivity, and airway wall remodeling. However, the link between the immune-inflammatory phenotype and the structural-functional phenotype remains to be fully defined. The objective of these studies was to evaluate the relationship be...

TYPE 2 INFLAMMATORY RESPONSES are characterized by differentiated CD4 T helper type 2 (Th2) cells that secrete a panel of cytokines including IL-4, IL-5, IL-9, and IL-13 with the recruitment of multiple effector cells, including B cells producing IgE, mast cells, eosinophils, and basophils. Although inflammation per se attracts a great deal of attention, it is the effects of inflammation on tis...

Bronchial asthma (BA) among children is an important health issue worldwide, including Bulgaria. The prevalence is increasing although the reasons are poorly understood. The common characteristics of asthma include bronchial spasm, airway remodeling with variable narrowing, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, and airway inflammation. One of the key pathogenetic mechanisms is the disturbance of the p...

BACKGROUND Chronic asthma is characterized by airway inflammation and remodeling. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to evaluate the effects of zileuton on bronchial hyperresponsiveness, airway inflammation and airway smooth muscle (ASM) remodeling. METHODS Two experimental groups of brown Norway rats sensitized and repeatedly challenged with aerosolized ovalbumin (OA) were given oral zileuton (OA-...

Myofibroblast accumulation, subepithelial fibrosis, and vascular remodeling are complicating features of chronic asthma, but the mechanisms are not clear. Platelet-derived growth factors (PDGFs) regulate the fate and function of various mesenchymal cells and have been implicated as mediators of lung fibrosis. However, it is not known whether PDGF-BB signaling via PDGFRβ, which is critical for t...

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory airways disease that usually begins in early life and involves gene-environment interactions. Although most asthma exhibits allergic inflammation, many allergic individuals do not have asthma. Here, we report how the asthma gene a disintegrin and metalloprotease 33 (ADAM33) acts as local tissue susceptibility gene that promotes allergic asthma. We show that enzy...

BACKGROUND New therapies for asthma which can address three main interrelated features of the disease, airway inflammation, airway remodeling and airway hyperreactivity, are urgently required. Resveratrol, a well known red wine polyphenol has received much attention due to its potential anti-aging properties. This compound is an agonist of silent information regulator two histone deacetylases a...