The browser you are using is not supported by this website. All versions of Internet Explorer are no longer supported, either by us or Microsoft (read more here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/windows/end-of-ie-support).

Please use a modern browser to fully experience our website, such as the newest versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari etc.

Remodeling of the pulmonary circulation - a novel response to allergic airway inflammation

På svenska

Author

Summary, in English

Asthma is characterized, not only by inflammation but also by airway and vascular remodeling. Airway remodeling is established early in disease, structural alterations have been found in children, and is thought to contribute to asthma symptoms. Unfortunately, airway remodeling is considered difficult to reverse and it seldom resolves completely. Studies of vascular involvement in asthma have mainly focused on the tracheal and bronchial microcirculation, as these vessels are relatively easy to obtain. Some scattered studies have investigated bronchial and pulmonary arteries, using autopsy specimens. The overall aim of the project was to investigate vascular remodeling by utilizing two different animal models of allergic airway inflammation (where chicken egg albumin (OVA) or house dust mite (HDM) extract were used as allergens). More specifically the structural alterations of remodeling, the time frame of development and the resolution were investigated. The studies show that vascular remodeling is a feature of allergic airway inflammation, despite which allergen used to initialize the inflammatory response. Both the systemic tracheal microvessels as well as all parts of the pulmonary circulation undergo changes. The structural alterations of vascular remodeling induced by allergic airway inflammation, was similar to features as seen in airway remodeling. Vascular remodeling appears to be only partially reversible, as some structural alterations seem to remain even when the allergic inflammation is resolved.



In summary this thesis describes the involvement of the vasculature in airway inflammation, characterizes vascular remodeling and shows that similar structural alterations are induced by two different allergens.

Publishing year

2008

Language

English

Publication/Series

Lund University Faculty of Medicine Doctoral Dissertation Series

Volume

2008:35

Document type

Dissertation

Publisher

Inst för Experimentell Medicinsk Vetenskap, Lunds Universitet

Topic

  • Basic Medicine

Keywords

  • Vascular remodeling
  • OVA
  • HDM
  • asthma

Status

Published

Research group

  • Airway Inflammation and Immunology
  • Lung Biology

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1652-8220
  • ISBN: 978-91-85897-88-9

Defence date

20 March 2008

Defence time

09:00

Defence place

Belfragesalen, BMC D15

Opponent

  • Donald M McDonald (Professor)