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Review
. 2017 Jan 18;18(1):20.
doi: 10.1186/s12931-017-0505-1.

The role of the endothelium in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Clara E Green  1 , Alice M Turner  2
Affiliations
Review

The role of the endothelium in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Clara E Green et al. Respir Res. .

Abstract

COPD and asthma are important chronic inflammatory disorders with a high associated morbidity. Much research has concentrated on the role of inflammatory cells, such as the neutrophil, in these diseases, but relatively little focus has been given to the endothelial tissue, through which inflammatory cells must transmigrate to reach the lung parenchyma and cause damage. There is evidence that there is an abnormal amount of endothelial tissue in COPD and asthma and that this tissue and its' progenitor cells behave in a dysfunctional manner. This article reviews the evidence of the involvement of pulmonary endothelium in COPD and asthma and potential treatment options for this.

Keywords: Asthma; Chronic bronchitis; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Emphysema; Endothelial dysfunction; Endothelium.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Transendothelial migration (paracellular): Neutrophil passing along the endothelium before binding to an endothelial cell via adhesion molecules (eg MAC-1). The neutrophil invaginates the endothelial cell membrane before migrating between endothelial cells
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Different endothelial mechanisms important in COPD and asthma pathogenesis
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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MeSH terms