Role of airway epithelial barrier dysfunction in bronchial asthma

The clinical manifestations of bronchial asthma (asthma) are cough, sputum, chest tightness, and wheezing, which pathophysiological characterized by airway hyperresponsiveness and chronic eosinophilic inflammation.Airway epithelial cells are the first defensive line.Repeated injury, repair and regeneration of the airway epithelial cells caused by environmental factors and inflammation lead to histological changes and dysfunction of the airway epithelial membrane.The barrier function of airway epithelium is closely related to thymic stromal lymphopoietin, interleukin-25 (IL-25) and IL-33, and the damage of airway epithelial barrier enhances the permeability of airway epithelial mucosa, causes the activation of airway epithelial dendritic cells and type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s). Abnormal function of airway epithelial cells and activation of dendritic cells and ILC2s cells form an immunopathological unit that results in allergic airway inflammation and plays an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma. Key words: Asthma; Epithelial cells; Airway inflammation; Function