title: COPD immunopathology.
abstract: The immunopathology of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is based on the innate and adaptive inflammatory immune responses to the chronic inhalation of cigarette smoking. In the last quarter of the century, the analysis of specimens obtained from the lower airways of COPD patients compared with those from a control group of age-matched smokers with normal lung function has provided novel insights on the potential pathogenetic role of the different cells of the innate and acquired immune responses and their pro/anti-inflammatory mediators and intracellular signalling pathways, contributing to a better knowledge of the immunopathology of COPD both during its stable phase and during its exacerbations. This also has provided a scientific rationale for new drugs discovery and targeting to the lower airways. This review summarises and discusses the immunopathology of COPD patients, of different severity, compared with control smokers with normal lung function.
authors.affiliation: Centro Interdipartimentale per lo Studio delle Malattie Infiammatorie delle Vie Aeree e Patologie Fumo-correlate (CEMICEF; formerly named Centro di Ricerca su Asma e BPCO), Sezione di Medicina Interna e Cardiorespiratoria, Università di Ferrara, Via Savonarola 9, 44121, Ferrara, Italy. gaetano.caramori@unife.it.
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Caramori
authors.affiliation: Centro Interdipartimentale per lo Studio delle Malattie Infiammatorie delle Vie Aeree e Patologie Fumo-correlate (CEMICEF; formerly named Centro di Ricerca su Asma e BPCO), Sezione di Medicina Interna e Cardiorespiratoria, Università di Ferrara, Via Savonarola 9, 44121, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Casolari
authors.affiliation: Katedra i Klinika Pneumonologii, Slaski Uniwersytet Medyczny w Katowicach, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barczyk
authors.affiliation: Airways Disease Section, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Andrew L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Durham
authors.affiliation: Divisione di Pneumologia e Laboratorio di Citoimmunopatologia dell'Apparato Cardio Respiratorio, Salvatore Maugeri Foundation, IRCCS, Veruno, NO, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Stefano
authors.affiliation: Airways Disease Section, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Adcock
mesh_terms: D056704:Adaptive Immunity; D015551:Autoimmunity; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers; D002450:Cell Communication; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D018450:Disease Progression; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D055099:Neuroendocrine Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D009479:Neuropeptides; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents