Immunopathological features of air pollution and its impact on inflammatory airway diseases (IAD)

Abstract

Air pollution causes significant morbidity and mortality in patients with inflammatory airway diseases (IAD) such as allergic rhinitis (AR), chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Oxidative stress in patients with IAD can induce eosinophilic inflammation in the airways, augment atopic allergic sensitization, and increase susceptibility to infection. We reviewed emerging data depicting the involvement of oxidative stress in IAD patients. We evaluated biomarkers, outcome measures and immunopathological alterations across the airway mucosal barrier following exposure, particularly when accentuated by an infectious insult.

Keywords: AR, Allergic rhinitis; Air pollution; Antioxidant; COPD, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; CRS, Chronic rhinosinusitis; DEP, Diesel exhaust particles; IAD, Inflammatory airway diseases; IL, Interleukin; ILC, Innate lymphoid cells; Inflammatory airway disease; NOx, Nitrogen oxides; Oxidative stress biomarkers; PAH, Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; PM, Particulate matter; ROS, Reactive oxygen species; TBS, Tobacco smoke; TLR, Toll-like receptors; Tobacco smoke; Treg, Regulatory T cell; VOCs, Volatile organic compounds.