Role of innate immunity in the pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis: progress and new avenues.
Chronic rhinosinusitis is a heterogeneous and multifactorial disease with unknown etiology. Aberrant responses to microorganisms have been suggested to play a role in the pathophysiology of the disease. Research has focused on the presence, detection, response to, and eradication of these potential threats. Main topics seem to center on the contribution of structural cells such as epithelium and fibroblasts, on the consequences of activation of pattern-recognition receptors, and on the role of antimicrobial agents. This research should be viewed not only in the light of a comparison between healthy and diseased individuals, but also in a comparison between patients who do or do not respond to treatment. New players that could play a role in the pathophysiology seem to surface at regular intervals, adding to our understanding (and the complexity) of the disease and opening new avenues that may help fight this incapacitating disease.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. c.m.vandrunen@amc.uva.nl
Cornelis M
CM
van Drunen
Jenny M
JM
Mjösberg
Christine L
CL
Segboer
Marjolein E
ME
Cornet
Wytske J
WJ
Fokkens
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000276:immunology; D005658:Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D051192:Receptors, Pattern Recognition / Q000276:immunology; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D051192:Receptors, Pattern Recognition