Epithelial barrier damage plays a central role in the development and maintenance of allergic inflammation.
The rise in airways epithelial barrier permeability alters the tissue homeostasis and allows the allergen and other external agents penetration.
Different factors contribute to barrier impairment, such as eosinophilic infiltrate and allergens proteases action: the eosinophilic cationic proteins and the allergens' proteolytic activity have a central role in contributing to epithelial damage.
In the airways, the allergens proteases degrade the epithelial junctional proteins allowing the allergen penetration and the uptake by dendritic cells.
The increase in allergen-immune system interactions induce the release of the alarmins and the activation of type 2 inflammatory pathways causing, or worsening, the main symptoms at skin, bowel and respiratory levels.
We aim to highlight the molecular mechanisms underlying allergenic proteases-induced epithelial barrier damage and the role of immune response in allergic asthma onset, maintenance and progression.
We further will explore clinical and radiological potential biomarkers of airways remodeling in allergic asthma patients.