Review
The immunoregulatory mechanism of bronchiectasis and the progress of immunomodulatory therapy
Kebin Cheng, Jinfu Xu, Huiping Li
Published 2019-03-20
Cite as Int J Respir, 2019, 39(6): 457-461. DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.issn.1673-436X.2019.06.012
Abstract
Bronchiectasis is a chronic respiratory disease characterised by abnormal and irreversible dilatation and distortion of the smaller airways.The vast majority of patients in China are non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis.Non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis is usually associated with recurrent infection, immunodeficiency or autoimmune diseases.The vicious cycle of bacterial colonization, airway inflammation, and airway structural damage results in bronchiectasis.Airway inflammation is the key of the cycle.There are a large variety of causative factors that have been identified for bronchiectasis; All of these compromises the function of the immune response to fight infection.Despite aggressive treatment, most patients will have persistent disease.Manipulating the immune response in bronchiectasis may potentially have therapeutic potential.This review focuses on the main immunoregulatory mechanism associated with the pathogenesis of bronchiectasis, and summarizes the efficacy of immunomodulators on bronchiectasis in combination with the recent clinical trials.
Key words:
Bronchiectasis; Immunoregulation; Mechanism; Therapy
Contributor Information
Kebin Cheng
Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Shanghai 200433, China
Jinfu Xu
Huiping Li