scholarly journals The Pivotal Role of Airway Smooth Muscle in Asthma Pathophysiology

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annaïg Ozier ◽  
Benoit Allard ◽  
Imane Bara ◽  
Pierre-Olivier Girodet ◽  
Thomas Trian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Smooth Muscle ◽  
Airway Smooth Muscle ◽  
Contractile Function ◽  
Pivotal Role ◽  
Structural Alterations ◽  
Surface Molecules ◽  
Bronchial Inflammation ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Synthetic Function

Asthma is characterized by the association of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), inflammation, and remodelling. The aim of the present article is to review the pivotal role of airway smooth muscle (ASM) in the pathophysiology of asthma. ASM is the main effector of AHR. The mechanisms of AHR in asthma may involve a larger release of contractile mediators and/or a lower release of relaxant mediators, an improved ASM cell excitation/contraction coupling, and/or an alteration in the contraction/load coupling. Beyond its contractile function, ASM is also involved in bronchial inflammation and remodelling. Whereas ASM is a target of the inflammatory process, it can also display proinflammatory and immunomodulatory functions, through its synthetic properties and the expression of a wide range of cell surface molecules. ASM remodelling represents a key feature of asthmatic bronchial remodelling. ASM also plays a role in promoting complementary airway structural alterations, in particular by its synthetic function.

Human mast cell and airway smooth muscle cell interactions: implications for asthma

2001 ◽  
Vol 281 (6) ◽  
pp. L1313-L1323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Severine Page ◽  
Alaina J. Ammit ◽  
Judith L. Black ◽  
Carol L. Armour
Keyword(s):  
Smooth Muscle ◽  
Airway Smooth Muscle ◽  
Disease Process ◽  
Inflammatory Cells ◽  
Airway Smooth Muscle Cell ◽  
Human Mast Cell ◽  
Human Airway Smooth Muscle ◽  
Surface Molecules ◽  
Cytokines And Chemokines ◽  
Synthetic Function

Asthma is characterized by inflammation, hyperresponsiveness, and remodeling of the airway. Human mast cells (HMCs) play a central role in all of these changes by releasing mediators that cause exaggerated bronchoconstriction, induce human airway smooth muscle (HASM) cell proliferation, and recruit and activate inflammatory cells. Moreover, the number of HMCs present on asthmatic HASM is increased compared with that on nonasthmatic HASM. HASM cells also have the potential to actively participate in the inflammatory process by synthesizing cytokines and chemokines and expressing surface molecules, which have the capacity to perpetuate the inflammatory mechanisms present in asthma. This review specifically examines how the mediators of HMCs have the capacity to modulate many functions of HASM; how the synthetic function of HASM, particularly through the release and expression of stem cell factor, has the potential to influence HMC number and activation in an extraordinarily potent and proinflammatory manner; and how these interactions between HMCs and HASM have potential consequences for airway structure and inflammation relevant to the disease process of asthma.

Bronchial inflammation induced PKCζ over-expression: involvement in mechanical properties of airway smooth muscle

2012 ◽  
Vol 90 (2) ◽  
pp. 261-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Morin ◽  
Samuel Fortin ◽  
Eric Rousseau
Keyword(s):  
Smooth Muscle ◽  
Guinea Pig ◽  
Airway Smooth Muscle ◽  
Regulatory Protein ◽  
Peptide Inhibitor ◽  
In Vivo Model ◽  
Bronchial Inflammation

Protein kinase C variants (PKCs) have been involved in the control of airway smooth muscle (ASM) tone, and abnormalities in PKC-dependent signaling have been associated with respiratory diseases such as asthma. In this study, the role of atypical PKCζ in airway hyperresponsiveness was investigated, using an in-vitro model of TNFα-treated human bronchi and an in vivo guinea pig model of chronic asthma. Our results demonstrated that PKCζ-specific inhibition produced a significant increase in isoproterenol sensitivity in TNFα-treated bronchi and ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized guinea pig bronchi. The role of epoxy-eicosanoids, known to exert anti-inflammatory effects in lung, on PKCζ expression and activity in these models was evaluated. An enhanced PKCζ protein expression was delineated in TNFα-treated bronchi when compared with control (untreated) and epoxy-eicosanoid-treated bronchi. Measurements of Ca2+ sensitivity, performed in TNFα-treated bronchi, demonstrated that treatment with myristoylated (Myr) PKCζ peptide inhibitor resulted in significant reductions of pCa-induced tension. Epoxy-eicosanoid treatments had similar effects on Ca2+ sensitivity in TNFα-treated bronchi. In control and epoxy-eicosanoid-treated bronchi, the phosphorylated forms of p38MAPK and CPI-17 were significantly decreased compared with the TNFα-treated bronchi. An enhanced expression of PKCζ was ascertained in our in-vivo model of allergic asthma. Hence an increased Ca2+ sensitivity could be explained by the phosphorylation of p38-MAPK, which in turn leads to phosphorylation and activation of the CPI-17 regulatory protein. This process was reversed upon treatment with the Myr-PKCζ-peptide inhibitor. The present data provide relevant evidence regarding the role of PKCζ in human and rodent models of airways inflammation.

Silver nanoparticles Induce Anti-Proliferative Effects on Airway Smooth Muscle Cells. Role of Nitric Oxide and Muscarinic Receptor Signaling Pathway

2013 ◽  
Vol 65 ◽  
pp. S104
Author(s):  
Manuel Alejandro Ramirez-Lee ◽  
Hector Rosas-Hernandez ◽  
Samuel Salazar-Garcia ◽  
Jose Manuel Gutiérrez-Hernández ◽  
Ricardo Espinosa- Tanguma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Silver Nanoparticles ◽  
Smooth Muscle ◽  
Smooth Muscle Cells ◽  
Signaling Pathway ◽  
Muscarinic Receptor ◽  
Airway Smooth Muscle ◽  
Airway Smooth Muscle Cells ◽  
Receptor Signaling Pathway

scholarly journals Colour Studies: Clarification and Alpha-Numeric Adaptation of Notation Systems for Artists and Designers

1970 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-148
Author(s):  
ZS Ebigbagha
Keyword(s):  
Subject Matter ◽  
Design Education ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Pivotal Role ◽  
Art And Design ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Effective Use ◽  
Creative Construction

Colour studies have generated much confusion in art and design education, particularly among students of the discipline in Nigeria. This is due to the complexity of the subject matter itself, wide-range of available materials and a variety of concepts developed in its multi-disciplinarity that is not kept distinct. Therefore, this paper utilizes a qualitative approach that employs the critical, historical, and analytic examination to provide clarification on the constructive and expressive aspects of colour studies. The paper introduces the reader to the pivotal role of colour and its multi-disciplinary interest. Also, it adequately clarifies paradigms and theories in the physical, psychophysical and psychological domains with particular emphasis on areas of practical value to art and design. Moreover, it considers the numeric adaptation of the colour wheel to a set of numbers for harmonic relationship. And it ends with the need for artists and designers to comprehensively grasp the contextual behaviour of colour and develop colour originality through creative construction and effective use in order to successfully express themselves in colour.

scholarly journals Mast cells are associated with exacerbations and eosinophilia in children with severe asthma

2016 ◽  
Vol 48 (5) ◽  
pp. 1320-1328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guillaume Lezmi ◽  
Louise Galmiche-Rolland ◽  
Sabine Rioux ◽  
Francis Jaubert ◽  
Isabelle Tillie-Leblond ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Smooth Muscle ◽  
Mast Cells ◽  
Severe Asthma ◽  
Airway Smooth Muscle ◽  
Eosinophilic Inflammation ◽  
Symptomatic Group ◽  
Mucosal Mast Cells ◽  
Bronchial Biopsies ◽  
Positive Correlations

The role of mast cells in the pathogenesis of childhood asthma is poorly understood. We aimed to estimate the implication of airway mucosal mast cells in severe asthma and their relationship with clinical, functional, inflammatory and remodelling parameters.Bronchial biopsies were performed in 36 children (5–18 years) with severe asthma: 24 had frequent severe exacerbations and/or daily symptoms in the previous year (symptomatic group), and 12 had few symptoms and a persistent obstructive pattern (paucisymptomatic group). Nine children without asthma were included as control subjects. We assessed mast cells in the submucosa and airway smooth muscle using c-kit antibodies and in the entire biopsy area using Giemsa.The number of submucosal mast cells was higher in the symptomatic group than in the paucisymptomatic group (p=0.02). The number of submucosal mast cells correlated with the number of severe exacerbations (p=0.02, r=0.37). There were positive correlations between the number of submucosal mast cells (p<0.01, r=0.44), airway smooth muscle mast cells (p=0.02, r= 0.40), mast cells stained by Giemsa (p<0.01, r=0.44) and submucosal eosinophils.Mast cells are associated with severe exacerbations and submucosal eosinophilic inflammation in children with severe asthma.

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