Journal Article Review Epublish 1 citation
PubMed: 38542511 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25063538
Role of Sensory Nerves in Pulmonary Fibrosis.
Int J Mol Sci 25(6)
Authors: Charles E Norton
Affiliations
- Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA.
Abstract
Pulmonary fibrosis results from the deposition and proliferation of extracellular matrix components in the lungs. Despite being an airway disorder, pulmonary fibrosis also has notable effects on the pulmonary vasculature, with the development and severity of pulmonary hypertension tied closely to patient mortality. Furthermore, the anatomical proximity of blood vessels, the alveolar epithelium, lymphatic tissue, and airway spaces highlights the need to identify shared pathogenic mechanisms and pleiotropic signaling across various cell types. Sensory nerves and their transmitters have a variety of effects on the various cell types within the lungs; however, their effects on many cell types and functions during pulmonary fibrosis have not yet been investigated. This review highlights the importance of gaining a new understanding of sensory nerve function in the context of pulmonary fibrosis as a potential tool to limit airway and vascular dysfunction.
MeSH
Cells, Pulmonary Fibrosis, Hypertension, Pulmonary, Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide, Lung, Cough, Pericytes, Substance P