title: Chemokines and their role in airway hyper-reactivity.
abstract: Airway hyper-reactivity is a characteristic feature of many inflammatory lung diseases and is defined as an exaggerated degree of airway narrowing. Chemokines and their receptors are involved in several pathological processes that are believed to contribute to airway hyper-responsiveness, including recruitment and activation of inflammatory cells, collagen deposition and airway wall remodeling. These proteins are therefore thought to represent important therapeutic targets in the treatment of airway hyper-responsiveness. This review highlights the processes thought to be involved in airway hyper-responsiveness in allergic asthma, and the role of chemokines in these processes. Overall, the application of chemokines to the prevention or treatment of airway hyper-reactivity has tremendous potential.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA. kblease@path.med.umich.edu
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Blease
authors.forename: N W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Lukacs
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Hogaboam
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Kunkel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018925:Chemokines / Q000502:physiology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000502:physiology; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000502:physiology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018925:Chemokines