Cell-Cell Interaction Mechanisms in Acute Lung Injury

Acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are caused by an exaggerated inflammatory response arising from a wide variety of pulmonary and systemic insults. Lung tissue is composed of a variety of cell populations, including parenchymal and immune cells. Emerging evidence has revealed that multiple cell populations in the lung work in concert to regulate lung inflammation in response to both direct and indirect stimulations. To date, the question of how different types of pulmonary cells communicate with each other and subsequently regulate or modulate inflammatory cascades remains to be fully addressed. In this review, we provide an overview of current advancements in understanding the role of cell-cell interaction in the development of ALI and depict molecular mechanisms by which cell-cell interactions regulate lung inflammation, focusing on inter-cellular activities and signaling pathways that point to possible therapeutic opportunities for ALI/ARDS.