Keywords
Pollution, O3, DAMPs, Inflammasome, Alarmin, IL-33.
Abstract
Chronic exposure to ambient Ozone (O3) air pollution induces respiratory inflammation and hyperreactivity, emphysema and interstitial lung fibrosis. O3-induced oxidative stress causes epithelial barrier injury and cell death activating Toll-like receptors, DNA sensing pathways and inflammasomes with production of a range of inflammatory chemokines with a mixed phenotype of COPD and asthma. O3 exposure is often associated with other pollutants causing exacerbation leading to severe respiratory disease. Here, we review mechanisms and therapeutic targets to control O3-induced COPD-like disease.