Toxicology of the Nose and Upper Airways PDF

Preface

In recent years there has been a growing recognition of the importance of the upper airway in normal and abnormal respiratory function. Realization of the role of the upper airway, not only as a sentinel of exposure, but also as an integral part of respiratory processes, has brought this area of study to the forefront of inhalation toxicology. At the same time, a major shift in study methods has occurred. Application of molecular biologic methods, recognition of neurogenic inflammatory processes, and utilization of genetic knockout animals are but a few of the recent advances in research tools, yielding qualitatively new types of data. This volume constitutes our attempt to summarize and update the body of knowledge pertaining to upper airway toxicology and to link data obtained in both human and experimental animal studies. In doing so, we hope to have created an indispensable reference text for toxicologists, sensory scientists, and clinicians.

As scientists actively involved in this area, we have observed that the same phenomena are often studied in separate settings from different perspectives, with each discipline unaware of the models, study tools, and insights of the others. To correct this situation and to achieve the broadest possible perspective, we have sought contributions from internationally recognized leaders in the fields of experimental toxicology, respiratory medicine, otolaryngology, allergy, and sensory science. For completeness' sake, a tandem structure was utilized in many places (with separate chapters on human and experimental animal data). Finally, discussions were included of non-cancer risk assessment, quantitative structureactivity relationships, and the interaction of allergy and chemical irritation. Thus, our aim is to provide, in a single volume, an integration of the basic science, clinical science and regulatory aspects of issues relating to the nose and upper airways.

Notwithstanding this broad perspective, experimental toxicology remains a major focus of this volume. Most experimental toxicology is conducted, explicitly or implicitly, to address human health concerns as filtered through regulatory requirements. In that context the emphasis is often quantitative risk assessment. Mechanistic issues, to the extent studied, usually concern either dose-response relationships or interspecies extrapolation. The editors of this volume have had the rare opportunity to step outside of this paradigm and study, in tandem, the effect of selected pollutants on the upper airways of both humans and experimental animals, emphasizing mechanistic issues in the process. We hope that our enthusiasm in studying the upper airway is evident in our choice of topics and authors, and that the reader will find this volume a coherent and valuable information resource, providing new insights across disciplinary lines.