title: The role of eosinophils in airway tissue remodelling in asthma.
abstract: There is an increasing evidence that airway structural change (termed remodelling) is associated with the severity and chronicity of asthma. Recent studies support an important role for eosinophils in the remodelling process. In particular eosinophil depletion studies have demonstrated that several aspects of remodelling are attenuated. Eosinophils have been confirmed as an important source of TGF-beta(1) as well as other important cytokines that can lead to the direct activation of epithelium and mesenchymal cells that are considered to drive airway remodelling. The current studies that support a role for eosinophils in airway remodelling are reviewed in article.
authors.affiliation: Allergy and Clinical Immunology Section, MRC and Asthma UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma, National Heart and Lung Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London, UK.
authors.forename: Harsha H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Kariyawasam
authors.forename: Douglas S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Robinson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D047091:Eosinophil Granule Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D047091:Eosinophil Granule Proteins; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1