title: Bronchial epithelium in children: a key player in asthma.
abstract: Bronchial epithelium is a key element of the respiratory airways. It constitutes the interface between the environment and the host. It is a physical barrier with many chemical and immunological properties. The bronchial epithelium is abnormal in asthma, even in children. It represents a key component promoting airway inflammation and remodelling that can lead to chronic symptoms. In this review, we present an overview of bronchial epithelium and how to study it, with a specific focus on children. We report physical, chemical and immunological properties from ex vivo and in vitro studies. The responses to various deleterious agents, such as viruses or allergens, may lead to persistent abnormalities orchestrated by bronchial epithelial cells. As epithelium dysfunctions occur early in asthma, reprogramming the epithelium may represent an ambitious goal to induce asthma remission in children.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Pneumologie Pédiatrique, hôpital Timone-Enfants, Assistance Publique Hopitaux de Marseille, Marseille, France UMR Inserm U1067 CNRS 7333, Aix Marseille University, Marseille, France ania.carsin@ap-hm.fr.
authors.forename: Ania
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carsin
authors.affiliation: Unité de Pneumologie Pédiatrique, hôpital Timone-Enfants, Assistance Publique Hopitaux de Marseille, Marseille, France UMR Inserm U1067 CNRS 7333, Aix Marseille University, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mazenq
authors.affiliation: UMR Inserm U1067 CNRS 7333, Aix Marseille University, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ilstad
authors.affiliation: CNRS, URMITE 6236, CHU Timone-Enfants, Aix-Marseille Université, Unité de pneumologie et médecine infantile, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Christophe
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Dubus
authors.affiliation: UMR Inserm U1067 CNRS 7333, Aix Marseille University, Marseille, France Clinique des bronches, Allergie et Sommeil, Hôpital Nord, Assistance Publique Hopitaux de Marseille, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chanez
authors.affiliation: UMR Inserm U1067 CNRS 7333, Aix Marseille University, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Delphine
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gras
mesh_terms: D017668:Age of Onset; D056151:Airway Remodeling; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001980:Bronchi / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators