Allergens and Respiratory Pollutants

Dr Marc A. Williams is a Biologist with the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, USA and a former Assistant Professor of Medicine and Environmental Medicine at The University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, USA and Instructor of Medicine at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He has a long-standing interest and program of research in the field of immunotoxicology and innate immunity. Currently, he is studying the cell-mediated and molecular mechanisms involved in the dysfunction of the pulmonary immune system and the role played by respirable ambient pollutants including diesel exhaust particulate matter and ambient airborne particulate matter in that process. Dr Williams has a distinguished career in basic and translational scientific research. He serves on numerous national leadership committees including those of The American Thoracic Society (ATS) and The American Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology (AAAAI) and is a fellow of AAAAI. Dr Williams also serves as Associate Editor of Stem Cells and Development and of The Journal of Innate Immunity and serves on the editorial boards of several others including Biomarker Insights, Journal of Receptor, Ligand and Channel Research and ScientificWorldJournal (Immunol & Inflammation Domain). Dr Williams is listed in Marquis Who's Who in America and Cambridge Who's Who of Professionals. He has also been recognized through membership of The Faculty of 1000 (Immunology - Section on Innate Immunity) and is the author of more than 60 original research papers, invited reviews and editorials.

List of illustrations

Editor's note

About the editor and contributors

Chapter 1: An introduction to allergic inflammation and the innate immune sensing of dangerous ambient pollutants by the dendritic cell

Chapter 2: Asthma: primary immunomodulatory pathways

Chapter 3: Environmental lung injury and pattern recognition receptors

Chapter 4: Asthma exacerbations: a paradigm of synergy between allergens, pollutants and viruses

Chapter 5: Bronchial hyperresponsiveness and lung inflammation induced by allergic immune response and oxidative stress: role of innate and adaptive immune responses

Chapter 6: Effects of air pollutants on allergic sensitization through the airway

Chapter 7: Particulate matter and oxidative stress: dangerous partners in inflammation, vascular dysfunction and innate immunity

Chapter 8: Diesel exhaust particles and the airway epithelial cell - dendritic cell interface in the control of immune homeostasis

Chapter 9: Role of macrophages in adverse pulmonary effects of particulate pollutants

Chapter 10: Particulate air pollution and vulnerability to respiratory infections in children

Chapter 11: The intersection of respiratory syncytial virus infection, innate immunity and allergic lung disease

Chapter 12: Interactions between allergens and dendritic cells: pattern recognition receptors and their function in the pathogenesis of allergic respiratory diseases

Index