Airway diseases include diseases which effect the respiratory tract (e.g., lungs, mouth, nose, pulmonary, alveoli, pharynx, larynx, trachca, and bronchi). Airway diseases, such as asthma and COPD are a major health burden in the developed world.

Airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR): 

AHR is an exaggerated airway constrictive response to external triggers and is a major component of airway disease. AHR is a hallmark of asthma, but also occurs in many other airway diseases such as COPD. AHR is also known as bronchial hyperresponsiveness or airway hyperreactivity. Current treatment is non-specific and consists of bronchodilators (adrenergic or anticholigergiv) and immunosuppressants (corticosteroids).

Asthma: 

Asthma is a chronic condition involving the respiratory system in which the airways constrict, become inflamed and are lined with excessive amounts of mucus, often in response to one or more triggers. Asthma is characterized by a combination of chronic airway inflammation, airway obstruction, and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) to various stimuli. It is thought be be mediated priamrily by adpative immune responses mediated by allergen-specific CD4+ T cells, Th2 cytokines and allergen specific IgE, which lead to pulmonary inflammation and AHR.

Asthma is an inflammatory lung disease with airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). The inflammatory cells release reactive oxygen species (ROS), which leak into surrounding cells.

Treatment:

Albuterol sulfate is used as a bronchodilator to treat asthma.

Steroid Receptors: are a major class of nuclear receptors represetning ligand-activated trasncription factors, known to regulate many cellular functios, including inflammatory process, energy production and apoptosis.

–Glucocorticoids (GS): are the mainstay treatment of asthma. They act by activating glucocorticoid receptors (GR). 

Gratzio (“Glucocorticoid and estrogen receptors are reduced in mitochondria of lung epithelial cells in asthma” PLoS One, June 2012, 7(6)) disclose that mitochondrial glucocorticoid (mtGR) and estrogen (mtER) receptors participate in the coordination of the cell’s energy requirement and in the mitcohondrial oxidative phosphorylation enzyme (OXPHOS) biosyntesis, affecting reative oxgyen species (ROS) generation and induction of apoptosis. They preset evidence shwoing localizatio of GR and ERbeta in lung epithelial cells.

Bronchiolitis: 

Bronchiolitis is inflammation of the bronchioles, the smallest air passages of the lungs.

Chronic obstructure pulmonary disease (COPD): 

COPD is a group of diseases characterized by limitation of airflow in the airway that is not fully reversible. COPD is the umbrella term for chronic bronchitis and/or emphysema.  In COPD the airways become narrowed, leading to a limiation of the flow of air to and from the lungs, which causes shortness of breath. In contrast to asthma, the limitaiton of airflow is poorly reversible and usually gradually gets worse over time. COPD is caused by noxious particles or gases, most commonly from smoking, which trigger an abnormal inflammatory response in the lung.

 Cystic fibrosis (CF): 

CF is a hereditary (autosomal recessive) disease affecting the exocrine (mucus) glands of the lungs, liver, pancrease, and intestines, causing progressive disability due to multisystem failure. CF is caused by a mutation in a gene called the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator. The product of thse gene is a chloride ion channel important in creating sweat, digestive juices, and mucus. Thick mucus production in CF patients results in fequent lung infections. Lung disease results from clogging the airways due to mucosa buildup and resulting inflammation.