Abstract
Airway remodeling (AR) is a progressive pathological feature of the obstructive lung diseases, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The pathology manifests itself in the form of significant, progressive, and (to date) seemingly irreversible changes to distinct respiratory structural compartments. Consequently, AR correlates with disease severity and the gradual decline in pulmonary function associated with asthma and COPD. Although current asthma/COPD drugs manage airway contraction and inflammation, none of these effectively prevent or reverse features of AR. In this review, we provide a brief overview of the features and putative mechanisms affecting AR. We further discuss recently proposed strategies with promise for deterring or treating AR.
Highlights
Airway remodeling (AR) is a progressive pathological feature of the obstructive lung diseases, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Airway remodeling in obstructive lung diseases Airway remodeling (AR) can be defined as a progressive pathological reorganization of the cellular and molecular constitution of the airway wall
We provide an overview of the limitations of currently approved anti-asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) drugs in addressing AR and further describe the therapeutic potential of recently proposed approaches for targeting AR
Summary
The correlation between AR and obstructive lung disease severity suggests a strong pathogenic role of AR in these diseases. As our understanding of mechanisms underlying AR improves, so will the drug development approaches as well as the phenotyping capabilities that accurately assess AR in humans. These advances will undoubtedly fulfill our need for more refined, efficacious, and safer drugs that enable us to control the entire spectrum of asthma pathology. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
