Inflammatory mechanism of asthma. 

Airway epithelial cells exposed to activation stimuli, including allergens, viruses, and irritants, release cytokines that promote dendritic cell (DC) mobilization to draining lymph nodes, where they present antigens and thereby activate naive CD4 T cells. These T cells then induce B-cell class switching and maturation into plasma cells, which produce lgE. TH2 cells also migrate into the airway subepithelial mucosa, where they release inflammatory cytokines such as IL-5 and IL-1 3, which induce goblet cell metaplasia and mucus production, and act as a chemokine for eosinophils, mast cells, and basophils. Unbound lgE secreted by plasma cells binds the FceRI receptor on submucosal mast cells and basophils and, when crosslinked by an antigen, induces the release of preformed mediators such as histamine and leukotrienes, as well as the release of inflammatory cytokines. 



#asthma #pathophysiology #inflammatory #immunology