Mucus secretion is often uncontrolled in many airway inflammatory diseases of humans. Identifying the regulatory pathway(s) of mucus gene expression, mucus overproduction, and hypersecretion is important to alleviate airway inflammation in these diseases. However, the regulatory signaling pathway controlling mucus overproduction has not been fully identified yet. In this study, we report that t...

Fungal colonization with Pneumocystis is associated with increased airway mucus in infants during their primary Pneumocystis infection, and to severity of COPD in adults. The pathogenic mechanisms are under investigation. Interestingly, increased levels of hCLCA1 - a member of the calcium-sensitive chloride conductance family of proteins that drives mucus hypersecretion - have been associated w...

Staphylococcus aureus causes chronic respiratory tract infections in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Using immunofluorescence and scanning and transmission electron microscopy we located S. aureus in lung specimens of three infected CF patients, in a nasal polyp of one CF patient, and in a suspension cell culture system of primary nasal epithelial cells in vitro. Very little of S. aureus wa...

Heme oxygenase (HO), the heme-degrading enzyme, has shown anti-inflammatory effects in several models of pulmonary diseases. HO is induced in airways during asthma; however, its functional role is unclear. Therefore, we evaluated the role of HO on airway inflammation [evaluated by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cellularity and BAL levels of eotaxin, PGE(2), and proteins], mucus secretion (evaluat...

Mucus clearance is the first defense of a normal airway against airborne pathogens and pollutants. However, mucus hypersecretion—an important feature of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), especially the chronic bronchitis phenotype—contributes to disease pathology and mortality. Prescriptions of some mucoactive medications, e.g. N-acetylcysteine and carbocysteine, have proved benefic...

BACKGROUND Crataegus pinnatifida (Chinese hawthorn) has long been used as a herbal medicine in Asia and Europe. It has been used for the treatment of various cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial weakness, tachycardia, hypertension and arteriosclerosis. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of Crataegus pinnatifida ethanolic extracts (CPEE) on Th2-type cytokines, eos...

PURPOSE Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is characterized by the excessive production of mucus. However, the molecular mechanism underlying mucin overproduction in CRS with or without nasal polyps (CRSwNP and CRSsNP, respectively) is poorly understood. This study was conducted to assess the importance of the transcription factor FoxA2 in mucin production and to investigate the targeting of FoxA2 as...

BACKGROUND The redox-active pyocyanin (PCN) is a toxic, secondary metabolite secreted by the respiratory pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA). Previously, we have shown that mouse lungs chronically exposed to PCN develop goblet cell hyperplasia and metaplasia (GCHM) and mucus hypersecretion, fibrosis and emphysema. These pathological features are commonly found in the airways of several chronic...

Prostaglandin D(2) (PGD(2)) is one of a family of biologically active lipids derived from arachidonic acid via the action of COX-1 and COX-2. PGD(2) is released from mast cells and binds primarily to two G protein-coupled receptors, namely DP1 and DP2, the latter also known as chemoattractant receptor-homologous molecule expressed on Th2 cells. DP2 is predominantly expressed on eosinophils, Th2...

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS Mucus hypersecretion is a hallmarks of chronic rhinosinusitis. The expression of MUC5AC, a major respiratory mucin gene, is increased in chronic rhinosinusitis. The mechanisms inducing mucus hypersecretion have not been fully evaluated in chronic rhinosinusitis. Human Ca2+ -activated Cl- channel 1 (hCLCA1) is implicated in the regulation of mucus production, airway fluid, ...