AbstractsBiology & Animal Science

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the leading chronic respiratory disease. Understanding physiopathological mechanisms remains a priority to provide novel therapeutic approaches to our patients. The airway epithelium represents a frontline defence against inhaled materials. The active transcellular routing for immunoglobulins occurs upon binding the polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) expressed by epithelial cells. The impaired bronchial expression of pIgR shown in patients with COPD potentially contribute to decrease mucosal immune defence and thereby to favour bacterial colonization and exacerbations in this disease. Furthermore, epithelial de-differentiation through epithelial to mesenchymal transition that participate to peri-bronchiolar fibrosis and obstruction, further highlight the central role of the respiratory epithelium in the physiopathogenesis of COPD. Targeting respiratory epithelium could be an attractive therapeutic strategy to restore epithelial barrier, integrity and functionality. (MED - Sciences médicales)  – UCL, 2015