The Relationship of Reticular Basement Membrane Thickness to Airway Wall Remodeling in Asthma

James, Alan; Maxwell, Peta S.; Pearce-Pinto, Gladys; Elliot, John; Carroll, Neil

doi:10.1164/rccm.2108069

Cited by 145 publications

(104 citation statements)

References 35 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Furthermore, James and colleagues showed similar fi ndings comparing the reticular basement membrane thickness of central airways assessed by endobronchial biopsy and airway wall dimensions in cartilaginous airways in surgical specimens. 4 Although disputed by others, 5 these fi ndings support earlier studies suggesting that RBM thickness may be used as an index of remodeling of the airway wall in asthma.…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 71%

Reticular basement membrane in asthma and COPD: Similar thickness, yet different composition

Liesker

Hacken

Zeinstra-Smith³

et al. 2009

COPD

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: Reticular basement membrane (RBM) thickening has been variably associated with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Even if RBM thickness is similar in both diseases, its composition might still differ. Objective: To assess whether RBM thickness and composition differ between asthma and COPD. Methods: We investigated 24 allergic asthmatics (forced expiratory volume in one second [FEV 1 ] 92% predicted), and 17 nonallergic COPD patients (FEV 1 60% predicted), and for each group a control group of similar age and smoking habits (12 and 10 persons, respectively). Snapfrozen sections of bronchial biopsies were stained with hematoxylin/eosin and for collagen I, III, IV, V, laminin and tenascin. RBM thickening was assessed by digital image analysis. Relative staining intensity of each matrix component was determined. Results: Mean (SD) RBM thickness was not signifi cantly different between asthma and COPD 5.5 (1.3) vs 6.0 (1.8) μm, but signifi cantly larger than in their healthy counterparts, ie, 4.7 (0.9) and 4.8 (1.2) μm, respectively. Collagen I and laminin stained signifi cantly stronger in asthma than in COPD. Tenascin stained stronger in asthma than in healthy controls of similar age, and stronger in COPD controls than in asthma controls (p Ͻ 0.05). Conclusion: RBM thickening occurs both in asthma and COPD. We provide supportive evidence that its composition differs in asthma and COPD.

show abstract

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 71%

Reticular basement membrane in asthma and COPD: Similar thickness, yet different composition

Liesker

Hacken

Zeinstra-Smith³

et al. 2009

COPD

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Nonetheless, the endobronchial biopsies were taken from the subsegmental carina, and it is uncertain whether pathological changes in the central airways reflect changes in the smaller and peripheral airways in young children, and whether these, in turn, are reflected by the physiological measures chosen in this study. However, several studies suggest that airway inflammation occurs throughout the airway [23,24], and in adults, it has been demonstrated that RBM thickening in the central airways is related to RBM thickening in all cartilaginous airways, including the smaller cartilaginous airways, but not the peripheral membranous airways [25]. There are no such data in preschoolers.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationship between past airway pathology and current lung function in preschool wheezers

Sonnappa¹,

Bastardo²,

Saglani³

et al. 2011

Eur Respir J

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The functional outcome in preschool severe wheezers with eosinophilic airway inflammation and increased reticular basement membrane (RBM) thickness is unknown. We investigated the relationship between airway pathology at age 2 yrs and lung function at age 4-6 yrs in previous severe wheezers.Severe wheezers previously investigated by endobronchial biopsy and healthy children aged 4-6 yrs were recruited. Lung clearance index (LCI), conducting zone ventilation inhomogeneity (Scond), acinar ventilation inhomogeneity by multiple-breath washout, plethysmographic-specific airway resistance and exhaled nitric oxide fraction (FeNO) were measured. Lung function was compared between wheezers and healthy controls, and in wheezers correlated with past RBM thickness and mucosal eosinophilia (EG2+ cells).72 healthy controls and 28 previous severe wheezers were tested. Wheezers had significantly higher median LCI (6.8 versus 6.6; p50.001) and Scond (0.046 versus 0.016; p,0.0005) than healthy controls. Past RBM thickness (r50.474, p50.047) and EG2+ cells (r50.552, p50.041) showed significant correlations with current FeNO, but no correlations were seen between past RBM thickness and current lung function.RBM thickness and EG2+ cells at age 2 yrs show a significant positive association with FeNO at age 5 yrs. Although lung function was abnormal at age 5 yrs in severe wheezers, this did not correlate with past RBM thickness.

show abstract

“…48 Furthermore, inflammation and remodelling can be dissociated as shown by allergen provocation in adult asthma, wherein rapid and simultaneous activation of inflammation and airway remodelling occurs but dissociation of selected aspects of remodelling, such as collagen deposition and AHR, is evident at later time points. 49 In fact, whilst RBM thickening may reflect remodelling events deeper in the submucosa, 50 there is little or no correlation of RBM thickness with the duration of asthma 46 or inflammation, 51 suggesting that RBM thickening may be overall independent of inflammation. It is therefore conceivable that remodelling is initiated due to an intrinsic propensity of the lower airway of asthmatics for injury and abnormal repair and becomes later on exacerbated by aberrant inflammatory responses.…”

Section: Restoration Of N Ormal Airway Structure (Mod Elling)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Upper and lower airway remodelling mechanisms in asthma, allergic rhinitis and chronic rhinosinusitis: The one airway concept revisited

Samitas

Carter

Kariyawasam

et al. 2017

Allergy

187

156

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Allergic rhinitis (AR), chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and asthma often co-exist. The one airway model proposes that disease mechanisms occurring in the upper airway may mirror lower airway events. Airway remodelling is the term used to describe tissue structural changes that occur in a disease setting and reflect the dynamic process of tissue restructuring during wound repair. Remodelling has been long identified in the lower airways in asthma and is characterized by epithelial shedding, goblet cell hyperplasia, basement membrane thickening, subepithelial fibrosis, airway smooth muscle hyperplasia and increased angiogenesis. The concept of upper airway remodelling has only recently been introduced, and data so far are limited and often conflicting, an indication that more detailed studies are needed. Whilst remodelling changes in AR are limited, CRS phenotypes demonstrate epithelial hyperplasia, increased matrix deposition and degradation along with accumulation of plasma proteins. Despite extensive research over the past years, the precise cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in airway remodelling remain incompletely defined. This review describes our current rather limited understanding of airway remodelling processes in AR, CRS and asthma and presents mechanisms both shared and distinct between the upper and lower airways. Delineation of shared and disease-specific pathogenic mechanisms of remodelling between the sinonasal system and the lung may guide the rational design of more effective therapeutic strategies targeting upper and lower airways concomitantly and improving the health of individuals with inflammatory airway diseases.

show abstract

The Relationship of Reticular Basement Membrane Thickness to Airway Wall Remodeling in Asthma

Cited by 145 publications

References 35 publications

Reticular basement membrane in asthma and COPD: Similar thickness, yet different composition

Reticular basement membrane in asthma and COPD: Similar thickness, yet different composition

Relationship between past airway pathology and current lung function in preschool wheezers

Upper and lower airway remodelling mechanisms in asthma, allergic rhinitis and chronic rhinosinusitis: The one airway concept revisited

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About