Common mucosal immune system in respiratory disease

The principal function of the mucosal immune system is to protect the mucos a from exogenous aggression. It also involves a lymphocyte recirculation ph enomenon allowing activated lymphocytes to migrate to the aggressed site, f or example the bronchi, and to recirculate and colonize other sites of the mucosal immune system. In asthma, analysis of the other sites of he common mucosal immune system demonstrates asthma-like inflammatory reactions in th e accessory salivary glands and the gut: lymphocyte infiltrate, mast cell a ctivation thickening of the basal membrane, accumulation and activation of eosinophils (gut), activation of endothelial cells expressing ICAM-1. Lymph ocyte, eosinophil and mast cell infiltration is observed in the digestive t ract as well as increased expression of IL-3, IL-5 and GM-CSF: The similari ty of the anomalies observed in BALT and GALT tissues would suggest the ent ire mucosal immune system is implicated in asthma.