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Project

Mast cells in airway allergies: a new vision on a long-studied cell

The airway epithelium harbors a huge amount of mast cells which play a crucial role in host defense as they can adapt their function to the microenvironment in which the reside. Mast cells react to external and internal stimuli thanks to multiple receptors they express and carry out effector and regulatory tasks by different mediators they release. The most studied function of mast cells is associated with allergy through the binding of allergen-specific IgE on mast cells, which triggers the release of different mediators. Mast cells are also fundamental elements of the epithelial barrier as they regulate epithelial function and integrity, modulate mucosal innate and adaptive immune responses, and maintain neuro-immune interactions, which are key to normal functioning of the airways. Disruption of the airway epithelium might facilitate allergen passage into the mucosa, which further increases mast cell activation and inflammatory responses. Even though the role of mast cells in allergen-mediated diseases is already known for decades, mechanisms linking mast cell activity with epithelial function remain unclear. Given the development of novel techniques to study immunological and functional properties of multiple cells, we aim at revisiting the role of mast cells in airway allergy, to understand the interaction between mast and epithelial cells, if different mast cell phenotypes are associated with disease, and whether mast cells can contribute to chronic airway inflammation.
 

Date:1 Oct 2020 →  11 Apr 2023
Keywords:Airway epithelial cells, Mast cells, Tight junctions, Airway allergy
Disciplines:Allergology, Cellular interactions and extracellular matrix, Rhinology, Immunology not elsewhere classified