Editorial [Hot Topic: Molecular Pathogenesis of Airway Diseases (Guest Editor: Devendra K. Agrawal)]

Airway inflammation is a hallmark of chronic airway diseases, including bronchial asthma and COPD. In the last two decades there has been a significant increase in the incidence and prevalence of allergy and asthma worldwide. The airway epithelium remains under constant exposure to environmental factors including viruses, bacteria, allergens, and toxic inhalants. Many inflammatory cells and mediators, which are released in the airways upon allergen exposure and injury to the airway epithelium, act in synergistic or antagonistic manner to induce immune response or immune tolerance. This Special Issue of the Current Molecular Medicine brings together state-of-the-art contributions of the top-notch scientists in the field of airway diseases that ensure an authoritative text. There has been tremendous increase in our knowledge on the molecular pathogenesis of airway diseases. Therefore, it is rather impossible to include each and every aspect of airway diseases. None-the-less, every effort has been made to present up-to-date information with critical evaluation and future directions on the role of key inflammatory cells and mediators in airway diseases. On the cover page, I have tried to schematically depict the molecular pathogenesis of airway inflammation and asthma. I sincerely thank Dr. Anirban Maitra, the Editor-in-Chief of the Current Molecular Medicine, for providing me the opportunity to organize this special issue. This issue would not have been completed without amazing patience, and excellent cooperation and support of the wonderful staff members of the Current Molecular Medicine, especially Ms. Samina Khan, the Senior Manager Publications, Bentham Science Publishers Ltd. I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to both authors and reviewers, for their efforts in preparing and ensuring the high scientific quality of the papers in this special issue.