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Jackson CM, Mukherjee S, Wilburn AN, Cates C, Lewkowich IP, Deshmukh H, Zacharias WJ, Chougnet CA. Pulmonary Consequences of Prenatal Inflammatory Exposures: Clinical Perspective and Review of Basic Immunological Mechanisms. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1285. [PMID: 32636848 PMCID: PMC7318112 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chorioamnionitis, a potentially serious inflammatory complication of pregnancy, is associated with the development of an inflammatory milieu within the amniotic fluid surrounding the developing fetus. When chorioamnionitis occurs, the fetal lung finds itself in the unique position of being constantly exposed to the consequent inflammatory meditators and/or microbial products found in the amniotic fluid. This exposure results in significant changes to the fetal lung, such as increased leukocyte infiltration, altered cytokine, and surfactant production, and diminished alveolarization. These alterations can have potentially lasting impacts on lung development and function. However, studies to date have only begun to elucidate the association between such inflammatory exposures and lifelong consequences such as lung dysfunction. In this review, we discuss the pathogenesis of and fetal immune response to chorioamnionitis, detail the consequences of chorioamnionitis exposure on the developing fetal lung, highlighting the various animal models that have contributed to our current understanding and discuss the importance of fetal exposures in regard to the development of chronic respiratory disease. Finally, we focus on the clinical, basic, and therapeutic challenges in fetal inflammatory injury to the lung, and propose next steps and future directions to improve our therapeutic understanding of this important perinatal stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney M. Jackson
- Division of Immunobiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Immunology Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Shibabrata Mukherjee
- Division of Immunobiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Adrienne N. Wilburn
- Division of Immunobiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Immunology Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Chris Cates
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Ian P. Lewkowich
- Division of Immunobiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Hitesh Deshmukh
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Division of Neonatology/Pulmonary Biology, The Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - William J. Zacharias
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Division of Neonatology/Pulmonary Biology, The Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Claire A. Chougnet
- Division of Immunobiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- *Correspondence: Claire A. Chougnet
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Lanz MJ, Gilbert I, Szefler SJ, Murphy KR. Can early intervention in pediatric asthma improve long-term outcomes? A question that needs an answer. Pediatr Pulmonol 2019; 54:348-357. [PMID: 30609252 PMCID: PMC6590791 DOI: 10.1002/ppul.24224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Although many children with asthma do not experience persistence into adulthood, recent studies have suggested that poorly controlled asthma in childhood may be associated with significant airflow obstruction in adulthood. However, data regarding disease progression are lacking, and clinicians are not yet able to predict the course of a child's asthma. The goal of this article was to assess the current understanding of childhood asthma treatment and progression and to highlight gaps in information that remain. DATA SOURCES Nonsystematic PubMed literature search and authors' expertise. STUDY SELECTION Articles were selected at the authors' discretion based on areas of interest in childhood asthma treatment and progression into adulthood. RESULTS Uncontrolled asthma in early childhood can potentially have lasting effects on lung development, but it is unclear whether traditional interventions in very young children preserve lung function. Although not all children respond to standard interventions, certain asthma phenotypes have been identified that can help to understand which children may respond to a particular treatment. CONCLUSION Clinicians should monitor children's asthma control and pulmonary function over time to assess the long-term impact of an intervention and to minimize the effect of uncontrolled asthma, especially exacerbations, on lung development. New biologic therapies have shown promise in treating adults with severe, uncontrolled asthma, and some of these therapies are approved in the United States for children as young as age 6. However, knowledge gaps regarding the efficacy and safety of these treatments in younger children hamper our understanding of their effect on long-term outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel J Lanz
- Allergy and Asthma, AAADRS Clinical Research Center, Coral Gables, Florida
| | | | - Stanley J Szefler
- The Breathing Institute, Children's Hospital Colorado and Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado
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Miller LA, Royer CM, Pinkerton KE, Schelegle ES. Nonhuman Primate Models of Respiratory Disease: Past, Present, and Future. ILAR J 2018; 58:269-280. [PMID: 29216343 PMCID: PMC5886323 DOI: 10.1093/ilar/ilx030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2016] [Accepted: 10/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The respiratory system consists of an integrated network of organs and structures that primarily function for gas exchange. In mammals, oxygen and carbon dioxide are transmitted through a complex respiratory tract, consisting of the nasal passages, pharynx, larynx, and lung. Exposure to ambient air throughout the lifespan imposes vulnerability of the respiratory system to environmental challenges that can contribute toward development of disease. The importance of the respiratory system to human health is supported by statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; in 2015, chronic lower respiratory diseases were the third leading cause of death in the United States. In light of the significant mortality associated with respiratory conditions that afflict all ages of the human population, this review will focus on basic and preclinical research conducted in nonhuman primate models of respiratory disease. In comparison with other laboratory animals, the nonhuman primate lung most closely resembles the human lung in structure, physiology, and mucosal immune mechanisms. Studies defining the influence of inhaled microbes, pollutants, or allergens on the nonhuman primate lung have provided insight on disease pathogenesis, with the potential for elucidation of molecular targets leading to new treatment modalities. Vaccine trials in nonhuman primates have been crucial for confirmation of safety and protective efficacy against infectious diseases of the lung in a laboratory animal model that recapitulates pathology observed in humans. In looking to the future, nonhuman primate models of respiratory diseases will continue to be instrumental for translating biomedical research for improvement of human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa A Miller
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology & Cell Biology, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Christopher M Royer
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Kent E Pinkerton
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology & Cell Biology, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and Department of Pediatrics, UC Davis School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Edward S Schelegle
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology & Cell Biology, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California
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Lewin G, Hurtt ME. Pre- and Postnatal Lung Development: An Updated Species Comparison. Birth Defects Res 2017; 109:1519-1539. [PMID: 28876535 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2017] [Accepted: 06/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this review is to give an outline of respiratory tract morphological and functional development with an emphasis on perinatal and postnatal maturational processes. In view of the rising need for qualitative and quantitative data for the development of pediatric pharmaceuticals, a comparison of the human situation to experimental animal models is made, and functional data as well as suitable models for human airway diseases and functional testing are presented. Birth Defects Research 109:1519-1539, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mark E Hurtt
- Pfizer Global Research & Development, Groton, Connecticut
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Dahlmann F, Sewald K. Use of nonhuman primates in obstructive lung disease research - is it required? Primate Biol 2017; 4:131-142. [PMID: 32110701 PMCID: PMC7041527 DOI: 10.5194/pb-4-131-2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2017] [Accepted: 05/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In times of increasing costs for health insurances, obstructive lung
diseases are a burden for both the patients and the economy. Pulmonary symptoms
of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are similar;
nevertheless, the diseases differ in pathophysiology and therapeutic
approaches. Novel therapeutics are continuously developed, and nonhuman
primates (NHPs) provide valuable models for investigating novel biologicals
regarding efficacy and safety. This review discusses the role of nonhuman primate models for drug
development in asthma and COPD and investigates whether alternative methods
are able to prevent animal experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Dahlmann
- German Primate Center GmbH, Infection Pathology Unit, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.,Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine, Preclinical Pharmacology and Immunology, Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Nikolai-Fuchs-Straße 1, 30625 Hanover, Germany
| | - Katherina Sewald
- Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine, Preclinical Pharmacology and Immunology, Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Nikolai-Fuchs-Straße 1, 30625 Hanover, Germany
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Wicher SA, Jacoby DB, Fryer AD. Newly divided eosinophils limit ozone-induced airway hyperreactivity in nonsensitized guinea pigs. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2017; 312:L969-L982. [PMID: 28258108 PMCID: PMC5495948 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00530.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2016] [Revised: 02/27/2017] [Accepted: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Ozone causes vagally mediated airway hyperreactivity and recruits inflammatory cells, including eosinophils, to lungs, where they mediate ozone-induced hyperreactivity 1 day after exposure but are paradoxically protective 3 days later. We aimed to test the role of newly divided eosinophils in ozone-induced airway hyperreactivity in sensitized and nonsensitized guinea pigs. Nonsensitized and sensitized guinea pigs were treated with 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU) to label newly divided cells and were exposed to air or ozone for 4 h. Later (1 or 3 days later), vagally induced bronchoconstriction was measured, and inflammatory cells were harvested from bone marrow, blood, and bronchoalveolar lavage. Ozone induced eosinophil hematopoiesis. One day after ozone, mature eosinophils dominate the inflammatory response and potentiate vagally induced bronchoconstriction. However, by 3 days, newly divided eosinophils have reached the lungs, where they inhibit ozone-induced airway hyperreactivity because depleting them with antibody to IL-5 or a TNF-α antagonist worsened vagally induced bronchoconstriction. In sensitized guinea pigs, both ozone-induced eosinophil hematopoiesis and subsequent recruitment of newly divided eosinophils to lungs 3 days later failed to occur. Thus mature eosinophils dominated the ozone-induced inflammatory response in sensitized guinea pigs. Depleting these mature eosinophils prevented ozone-induced airway hyperreactivity in sensitized animals. Ozone induces eosinophil hematopoiesis and recruitment to lungs, where 3 days later, newly divided eosinophils attenuate vagally mediated hyperreactivity. Ozone-induced hematopoiesis of beneficial eosinophils is blocked by a TNF-α antagonist or by prior sensitization. In these animals, mature eosinophils are associated with hyperreactivity. Thus interventions targeting eosinophils, although beneficial in atopic individuals, may delay resolution of airway hyperreactivity in nonatopic individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Wicher
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon; and
| | - David B Jacoby
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Allison D Fryer
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
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Arjomandi M, Wong H, Donde A, Frelinger J, Dalton S, Ching W, Power K, Balmes JR. Exposure to medium and high ambient levels of ozone causes adverse systemic inflammatory and cardiac autonomic effects. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2015; 308:H1499-509. [PMID: 25862833 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00849.2014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2014] [Accepted: 03/31/2015] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Epidemiological evidence suggests that exposure to ozone increases cardiovascular morbidity. However, the specific biological mechanisms mediating ozone-associated cardiovascular effects are unknown. To determine whether short-term exposure to ambient levels of ozone causes changes in biomarkers of cardiovascular disease including heart rate variability (HRV), systemic inflammation, and coagulability, 26 subjects were exposed to 0, 100, and 200 ppb ozone in random order for 4 h with intermittent exercise. HRV was measured and blood samples were obtained immediately before (0 h), immediately after (4 h), and 20 h after (24 h) each exposure. Bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed 20 h after exposure. Regression modeling was used to examine dose-response trends between the endpoints and ozone exposure. Inhalation of ozone induced dose-dependent adverse changes in the frequency domains of HRV across exposures consistent with increased sympathetic tone [increase of (parameter estimate ± SE) 0.4 ± 0.2 and 0.3 ± 0.1 in low- to high-frequency domain HRV ratio per 100 ppb increase in ozone at 4 h and 24 h, respectively (P = 0.02 and P = 0.01)] and a dose-dependent increase in serum C-reactive protein (CRP) across exposures at 24 h [increase of 0.61 ± 0.24 mg/l in CRP per 100 ppb increase in ozone (P = 0.01)]. Changes in HRV and CRP did not correlate with ozone-induced local lung inflammatory responses (BAL granulocytes, IL-6, or IL-8), but changes in HRV and CRP were associated with each other after adjustment for age and ozone level. Inhalation of ozone causes adverse systemic inflammatory and cardiac autonomic effects that may contribute to the cardiovascular mortality associated with short-term exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehrdad Arjomandi
- Human Exposure Laboratory, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital Medical Center, San Francisco, California; Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Pulmonary Research Group, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California;
| | - Hofer Wong
- Human Exposure Laboratory, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital Medical Center, San Francisco, California
| | - Aneesh Donde
- Human Exposure Laboratory, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital Medical Center, San Francisco, California
| | - Jessica Frelinger
- Human Exposure Laboratory, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital Medical Center, San Francisco, California; Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Pulmonary Research Group, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California
| | - Sarah Dalton
- Pulmonary Research Group, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California
| | - Wendy Ching
- Pulmonary Research Group, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California
| | - Karron Power
- Human Exposure Laboratory, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital Medical Center, San Francisco, California
| | - John R Balmes
- Human Exposure Laboratory, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital Medical Center, San Francisco, California; Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California; School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California
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8
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Abstract
Although the symptom complex we call asthma has been well described since antiquity, our understanding of the causes and therapy of asthma has evolved. Even with this evolution in our understanding, there are persistent myths (widely held but false beliefs) and dogma (entrenched beliefs) regarding the causes, classification, and therapy of asthma. It is sobering that some of the knowledge we hold dear today, will become the mythology of tomorrow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce K Rubin
- Department of Pediatrics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU, Virginia, United States.
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Abstract
Allergic responses occur in humans, rodents, non-human primates, avian species, and all of the domestic animals. These responses are mediated by immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies that bind to mast cells and cause release/synthesis of potent mediators. Clinical syndromes include naturally occurring asthma in humans and cats; atopic dermatitis in humans, dogs, horses, and several other species; food allergies; and anaphylactic shock. Experimental induction of asthma in mice, rats, monkeys, sheep, and cats has helped to reveal mechanisms of pathogenesis of asthma in humans. All of these species share the ability to develop a rapid and often fatal response to systemic administration of an allergen--anaphylactic shock. Genetic predisposition to development of allergic disease (atopy) has been demonstrated in humans, dogs, and horses. Application of mouse models of IgE-mediated allergic asthma has provided evidence for a role of air pollutants (ozone, diesel exhaust, environmental tobacco smoke) in enhanced sensitization to allergens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurel J Gershwin
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California 95616;
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Phillips KA, Bales KL, Capitanio JP, Conley A, Czoty PW, ‘t Hart BA, Hopkins WD, Hu SL, Miller LA, Nader MA, Nathanielsz PW, Rogers J, Shively CA, Voytko ML. Why primate models matter. Am J Primatol 2014; 76:801-27. [PMID: 24723482 PMCID: PMC4145602 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 378] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2014] [Revised: 03/01/2014] [Accepted: 03/02/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Research involving nonhuman primates (NHPs) has played a vital role in many of the medical and scientific advances of the past century. NHPs are used because of their similarity to humans in physiology, neuroanatomy, reproduction, development, cognition, and social complexity-yet it is these very similarities that make the use of NHPs in biomedical research a considered decision. As primate researchers, we feel an obligation and responsibility to present the facts concerning why primates are used in various areas of biomedical research. Recent decisions in the United States, including the phasing out of chimpanzees in research by the National Institutes of Health and the pending closure of the New England Primate Research Center, illustrate to us the critical importance of conveying why continued research with primates is needed. Here, we review key areas in biomedicine where primate models have been, and continue to be, essential for advancing fundamental knowledge in biomedical and biological research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberley A. Phillips
- Department of Psychology, Trinity University, San Antonio TX 78212
- Southwest National Primate Research Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio TX
| | - Karen L. Bales
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis CA 95616
- California National Primate Research Center, Davis CA 95616
| | - John P. Capitanio
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis CA 95616
- California National Primate Research Center, Davis CA 95616
| | - Alan Conley
- Department of Population Health & Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis CA 95616
| | - Paul W. Czoty
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem NC 27157
| | - Bert A. ‘t Hart
- Department of Immunobiology, Biomedical Primate Research Center, Rijswick, The Netherlands
| | - William D. Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta GA 30302
- Division of Cognitive and Developmental Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta GA 30030
| | - Shiu-Lok Hu
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Washington National Primate Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle WA
| | - Lisa A. Miller
- California National Primate Research Center, Davis CA 95616
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Cell Biology, University of California, Davis CA 95616
| | - Michael A. Nader
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem NC 27157
| | - Peter W. Nathanielsz
- Center for Pregnancy and Newborn Research, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio TX 78229
| | - Jeffrey Rogers
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, Madison, WI
| | - Carol A. Shively
- Department of Pathology, Section on Comparative Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem NC 27157
| | - Mary Lou Voytko
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem NC 27157
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Mari A, Antonietta Ciardiello M, Passalacqua G, Vliagoftis H, Wardlaw AJ, Wickman M. Developments in the field of allergy in 2012 through the eyes of Clinical & Experimental Allergy. Clin Exp Allergy 2014; 43:1309-32. [PMID: 24118214 DOI: 10.1111/cea.12212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In 2012, we received 683 submissions and published 20 editorials, 38 reviews, 11 letters and 128 original articles. This represents an acceptance rate for original papers in the range of 20%. About 30% of original papers were triaged not to go out to review, either because the editors did not feel they had sufficient priority for publication or because the topic did not feel right for the readers of the journal. We place great emphasis on obtaining sufficient high-quality reviews to make our decisions on publication fair and consistent. Inevitably, however, there is a degree of luck about what gets published and which papers miss out, and we are always happy to receive an appeal on our decisions either at the triage stage or after review. This gives us the opportunity to revisit the decision and revise it or explain in more detail to the authors the basis for the decision. Once again in 2012, we were delighted by the quality of the papers submitted and the breadth and depth of research into allergic disease that it revealed. The pattern of papers submitted was similar in previous years with considerable emphasis on all aspects of asthma and rhinitis. We were particularly pleased with our special issue on severe asthma. Elucidating mechanisms using either animal models or patients has always been a major theme of the journal, and the excellent work in these areas has been summarized by Harissios Vliagoftis with a particularly interesting section on early-life events guiding the development of allergic disease, which understandably continue to be a major theme of research. Magnus Wickman summarized the papers looking at the epidemiology of allergic disease including work from birth cohorts, which are an increasingly rich source of data on risk factors for allergic disease, and two papers on the epidemiology of anaphylaxis. Giovanni Passalacqua discussed the papers in the clinical allergy section of the journal, and Adriano Mari who runs the excellent Allergome website discussed the papers looking at allergens including characterization and the relative usefulness of allergen arrays versus single extracts in diagnosis and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Mari
- Allergome, Allergy Data Laboratories s.c., Latina, Italy
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