About this Research Topic
Chronic airway respiratory diseases are complex disorders in which adaptive immunity has been shown to play a key role. T-helper lymphocytes in particular, along with innate immunity cells, are activated in response to various environmental stimuli, including allergens, pathogenic bacteria and viruses, providing a protective role in host defense, whilst contributing to airway inflammation and severe autoimmunity.
Current therapeutic guidelines for asthma, COPD and bronchiectasis are changing towards a "treatable-traits" approach, recommending treatments that address the specific underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms of the diseases, however, there is no consensus yet on how to implement precision medicine treatment strategies, nor clear biomarkers that predict response to available treatments.
The aim of this Research Topic is to provide an overview of current knowledge on the role of adaptive immunity in obstructive airway diseases in the context of response to allergens, infectious agents, and inflammatory stimuli. Manuscripts highlighting recent advances in the
field, emphasizing new directions and possibilities for future research, and expert opinions upon the upcoming changes that will be witnessed in the following years in asthma, COPD and bronchiectasis guidelines are also welcomed.
This research topic calls for the submission of original research, brief research reports, full-length, mini or systematic reviews, expert opinion and perspective articles that address the role of
adaptive immunity in chronic airway diseases, preferably from a molecular perspective. Manuscripts highlighting recent advances in the field, emphasizing new directions and possibilities for future research, are also welcomed. The subtopics of interest include, but are not limited to:
• The role of adaptive immunity cells in the initiation and maintenance of allergen-specific T-cell responses in severe allergic asthma.
• The importance of adaptive immunity cells, with a focus in CD4+ T-lymphocytes subsets, in the promotion of airway eosinophilia, mucus hypersecretion, bronchial remodeling and susceptibility to exacerbations in severe asthma.
• The role of Th17, T-regs and Th17/T-regs imbalance in bronchiectasis and COPD.
• Adaptive inflammatory responses in response to bacterial and viral infections in COPD exacerbations.
• The complex cross-talking between airway epithelium and adaptive immunity cells in chronic airway diseases.
• New developments in severe chronic airways diseases management, including targeted treatments and precision medicine approaches that reduce inflammation and allergy, as well as novel biomarkers.
Current therapeutic guidelines for asthma, COPD and bronchiectasis are changing towards a "treatable-traits" approach, recommending treatments that address the specific underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms of the diseases, however, there is no consensus yet on how to implement precision medicine treatment strategies, nor clear biomarkers that predict response to available treatments.
The aim of this Research Topic is to provide an overview of current knowledge on the role of adaptive immunity in obstructive airway diseases in the context of response to allergens, infectious agents, and inflammatory stimuli. Manuscripts highlighting recent advances in the
field, emphasizing new directions and possibilities for future research, and expert opinions upon the upcoming changes that will be witnessed in the following years in asthma, COPD and bronchiectasis guidelines are also welcomed.
This research topic calls for the submission of original research, brief research reports, full-length, mini or systematic reviews, expert opinion and perspective articles that address the role of
adaptive immunity in chronic airway diseases, preferably from a molecular perspective. Manuscripts highlighting recent advances in the field, emphasizing new directions and possibilities for future research, are also welcomed. The subtopics of interest include, but are not limited to:
• The role of adaptive immunity cells in the initiation and maintenance of allergen-specific T-cell responses in severe allergic asthma.
• The importance of adaptive immunity cells, with a focus in CD4+ T-lymphocytes subsets, in the promotion of airway eosinophilia, mucus hypersecretion, bronchial remodeling and susceptibility to exacerbations in severe asthma.
• The role of Th17, T-regs and Th17/T-regs imbalance in bronchiectasis and COPD.
• Adaptive inflammatory responses in response to bacterial and viral infections in COPD exacerbations.
• The complex cross-talking between airway epithelium and adaptive immunity cells in chronic airway diseases.
• New developments in severe chronic airways diseases management, including targeted treatments and precision medicine approaches that reduce inflammation and allergy, as well as novel biomarkers.
Keywords: adaptive immunity, Asthma, COPD, Bronchiectasis, Atopy, Inflammation, Infections, Th1 lymphocytes, Th2 lymphocytes, Th9 lymphocytes, Th17 lymphocytes, T-regulatory lymphocytes, Tissue-resident memory T-lymphocytes, Cytokines
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