title: Role of mast cells in airway remodeling.
abstract: The extent of airway remodeling correlates with severity of asthma. Persistent airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) is associated with airway remodeling, but not with inflammation. The increase in ASM mass is recognized as one of the most important factors related to AHR and to the severity of asthma. The infiltration of ASM by mast cells (MCs) is associated with the disordered airway function. The mediators such as tryptase and cytokines from MCs can modulate ASM cell function and induce goblet cell hyperplasia. MCs were found to contribute to the development of multiple features of chronic asthma in MC-deficient mice. Therefore, MCs play an important role not only in immediate hypersensitivity and late phase inflammation but also in tissue remodeling in the airway.
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Cell Immunology and Allergology, Advanced Medical Research Center, Nihon University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Itabashi, Japan. yokayama@med.nihon-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yoshimichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okayama
authors.forename: Chisei
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ra
authors.forename: Hirohisa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saito
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D020397:Goblet Cells / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators