N-Acetylcysteine counteracts erythrocyte alterations occurring in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

A key role has been proposed for reactive oxygen species (ROS) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Aim of the present work was to evaluate possible implications of ROS in the integrity and function of the cell type mainly involved in oxygen uptake and delivery to the peripheral tissues: the erythrocyte. Red blood cells (RBCs) were thus collected from blood samples from COPD patients. Furthermore, blood samples from the same patients treated with the antioxidizing drug of widespread use in such disease i.e., N-acetylcysteine (NAC), were also considered. Morphometric and analytical cytology studies were then conducted. We report herein that: (i) alterations of RBC ultrastructure were detectable in RBCs from COPD patients, that (ii) relevant changes of spectrin cytoskeleton and glycophorin expression were also found and that (iii) NAC treatment was capable of significantly counteracting these changes. These results are consistent with a reappraisal of the role of RBCs in this disease.     

Physical activity level and its clinical correlates in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a cross-sectional study

Background

Decreased physical activity is associated with higher mortality in subjects with COPD. The aim of this study was to assess clinical characteristics and physical activity levels (PALs) in subjects with COPD.

Methods

Seventy-three subjects with COPD (67 ± 7 yrs, 44 female) with one-second forced expiratory volume percentage (FEV₁%) predicted values of 43 ± 16 were included. The ratio of total energy expenditure (TEE) and resting metabolic rate (RMR) was used to define the physical activity level (PAL) (PAL = TEE/RMR). TEE was assessed with an activity monitor (ActiReg), and RMR was measured by indirect calorimetry. Walking speed (measured over 30-meters), maximal quadriceps muscle strength, fat-free mass and systemic inflammation were measured as clinical characteristics. Hierarchical linear regression was applied to investigate the explanatory values of the clinical correlates to PAL.

Results

The mean PAL was 1.47 ± 0.19, and 92% of subjects were classified as physically very inactive or sedentary. The walking speed was 1.02 ± 0.23 m/s, the quadriceps strength was 31.3 ± 11.2 kg, and the fat-free mass index (FFMI) was 15.7 ± 2.3 kg/m², identifying 42% of subjects as slow walkers, 21% as muscle-weak and 49% as FFM-depleted. The regression model explained 45.5% (p < 0.001) of the variance in PAL. The FEV₁% predicted explained the largest proportion (22.5%), with further improvements in the model from walking speed (10.1%), muscle strength (7.0%) and FFMI (3.0%). Neither age, gender nor systemic inflammation contributed to the model.

Conclusions

Apart from lung function, walking speed and muscle strength are important correlates of physical activity. Further explorations of the longitudinal effects of the factors characterizing the most inactive subjects are warranted.     

Development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease correlates with mini- and microsatellite locus instability

Allele distribution at a highly polymorphic minisatellite adjacent to the c-Hras1 gene as well as deletions of microsatellite markers, D3S966, D3S1298, D9S171, and a microsatellite within p53 gene, were examined in bronchial epithelium specimens obtained from 53 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients and healthy donors. A higher frequency of rare Hras1 minisatellite alleles in COPD patients than in the individuals without pulmonary pathology (6.6% versus 2.2%; P < 0.05) was shown. This difference was most pronounced in the group of ten COPD patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Three of these patients had rare Hras1 minisatellite allele (P < 0.02 in comparison with healthy controls). Alterations in at least one of the microsatellite markers (deletions or microsatellite instability) were detected in bronchial epithelium samples obtained from: 4 of 10 COPD patients with pneumofibrosis (40%); 15 of 43 COPD patients (34.9%) without pneumofibrosis; and 8 of 20 tobacco smokers (40%) without pulmonary pathology. These defects were not observed in the analogous samples obtained from healthy nonsmoking individuals. No statistically significant differences were revealed between COPD patients and healthy smokers upon comparison of both the total number of molecular defects and the number of defects in the individual chromosomal loci. The total number of molecular defects revealed in bronchial epithelium samples from the individuals of two groups examined correlated with the intensity of exposure to tobacco smoke carcinogens (r = 0.28; P < 0.05). These findings suggest that rare alleles at the Hras1 locus may be associated with hereditary predisposition to COPD and the development of pneumofibrosis, while mutations in microsatellite markers result from exposure to tobacco smoke carcinogens and are not associated with the appearance of these pathologies.     

Expression of Toll-like receptor 2 is up-regulated in monocytes from patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterised by pulmonary and systemic inflammation which flare-up during episodes of acute exacerbation (AECOPD). Given the role of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in the induction of inflammatory responses we investigated the involvement of TLRs in COPD pathogenesis.

Methods

The expression of TLR-2, TLR-4 and CD14 in monocytes was analyzed by flow cytometry. To study the functional responses of these receptors, monocytes were stimulated with peptidoglycan or lipopolysaccharide and the amounts of TNFα and IL-6 secreted were determined by ELISA.

Results

We found that the expression of TLR-2 was up-regulated in peripheral blood monocytes from COPD patients, either clinically stable or during AECOPD, as compared to never smokers or smokers with normal lung function. Upon stimulation with TLR-2 ligand monocytes from COPD patients secreted increased amounts of cytokines than similarly stimulated monocytes from never smokers and smokers. In contrast, the expressions of TLR-4 and CD14 were not significantly different between groups, and the response to lipopolysaccharide (a TLR-4 ligand) stimulation was not significantly different either. At discharge from hospital TLR-2 expression was down-regulated in peripheral blood monocytes from AECOPD patients. This could be due to the treatment with systemic steroids because, in vitro, steroids down-regulated TLR-2 expression in a dose-dependent manner. Finally, we demonstrated that IL-6, whose plasma levels are elevated in patients, up-regulated in vitro TLR-2 expression in monocytes from never smokers.

Conclusion

Our results reveal abnormalities in TLRs expression in COPD patients and highlight its potential relationship with systemic inflammation in these patients.

     

Complex search for antiprotease-protease enzyme gene polymorphisms in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases

Based on the protease-antiprotease hypothesis in the pathogenesis of chronic lung diseases, we investigated the influence of Z and S mutations and TaqI-polymorphism of alpha1-antitrypsin gene (PI) and Ala - 15Thr polymorphism in signal peptide of alpha1-antichymotrypsin gene (AACT) in patients with COPD (n = 239), nonobstructive chronic bronchitis (n = 34), brochiectases (n = 33), chronic infant lung disease (n = 151) and cystic fibrosis (n = 57). The allele and genotype frequency of any genetic polymorphism was not statistically different between the groups and control subjects (n = 225). Furthermore, promoter polymorphism G - 1607GG in interstitial collagenase gene (MMP1) was determined in patients with COPD, chronic nonobstructive bronchitis and bronchiectases. In patients with COPD it was marked prevalence of mutant homozygous genotype GG/GG compared to controls (30.6 % and 18.0%, respectively, OR = 1.99; 95% CI 1.11-3.59). These findings suggest that genetic polymorphism in the promoter of MMPI gene may be associated with individual susceptibility to the development of COPD.     

The SERPINE2 gene is associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a complex human disease likely influenced by multiple genes, cigarette smoking, and gene-by-smoking interactions, but only severe alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency is a proven genetic risk factor for COPD. Prior linkage analyses in the Boston Early-Onset COPD Study have demonstrated significant linkage to a key intermediate phenotype of COPD on chromosome 2q. We integrated results from murine lung development and human COPD gene-expression microarray studies with human COPD linkage results on chromosome 2q to prioritize candidate-gene selection, thus identifying SERPINE2 as a positional candidate susceptibility gene for COPD. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated expression of serpine2 protein in mouse and human adult lung tissue. In family-based association testing of 127 severe, early-onset COPD pedigrees from the Boston Early-Onset COPD Study, we observed significant association with COPD phenotypes and 18 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the SERPINE2 gene. Association of five of these SNPs with COPD was replicated in a case-control analysis, with cases from the National Emphysema Treatment Trial and controls from the Normative Aging Study. Family-based and case-control haplotype analyses supported similar regions of association within the SERPINE2 gene. When significantly associated SNPs in these haplotypic regions were included as covariates in linkage models, LOD score attenuation was observed most markedly in a smokers-only linkage model (LOD 4.41, attenuated to 1.74). After the integration of murine and human microarray data to inform candidate-gene selection, we observed significant family-based association and independent replication of association in a case-control study, suggesting that SERPINE2 is a COPD-susceptibility gene and is likely influenced by gene-by-smoking interaction.     

机械通气对慢性阻塞性肺疾病患者红血球变化的影响

目的:评价机械通气治疗对慢性阻塞性肺疾病(COPD)患者红血球变化的影响.方法:采用病例报告表,收集我院ICU2004年-2008年收治的67例COPD行机械通气患者的血球分析及血气分析,建立数据库:①测定67例COPD患者机械通气前、通气1天、通气7天后红细胞计数、血红蛋白、红细胞压积以及氧分压值,评估机械通气对COPD患者红血球变化的影响.②根据预后分为生存组和死亡组:比较两组通气前与通气1天、7天后红血球分析变化值.③以65岁为界分为低龄组和高龄组,比较两组通气前与通气1天、7天的红血球分析变化值.结果:①机械通气后红细胞计数、血红蛋白、红细胞压积随时间均明显降低,氧分压明显升高(P<0.05).②生存组和死亡组通气前后红血球分析变化值随时间变化有显著差异.③高龄组和低龄组通气前后红血球分析变化值无明显差异.结论:COPD患者行机械通气治疗后红细胞计数、血红蛋白、红细胞压积随时间增加明显降低,其变化影响预后,应尽早拔除气管插管,缩短有创机械通气时间,缩短ICU和总住院时间,有效改进治疗效果,降低治疗费用,是具有一定临床实用价值的治疗方案.     

慢性阻塞性肺疾病患者支气管肺泡灌洗液细菌宏基因组DNA的制备

【目的】优化稳定期慢性阻塞性肺疾病(chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases,COPD)患者支气管肺泡灌洗液(bronchoalveolar lavage fluids,BALF)细菌宏基因组DNA的提取方法,以便于高效提取微量的细菌DNA进行后续的PCR反应和测序。【方法】取稳定期COPD患者的BALF 5mL,离心收集细胞。为了有效提取样品中革兰氏阳性菌的基因组,对QIAGEN的DNA提取试剂盒的操作步骤进行优化:加入裂解缓冲液ATL后首先运用研磨珠和多功能生物样品匀质器破碎菌壁,再加入蛋白酶K孵育,然后加入裂解缓冲液AL振荡混匀。无水乙醇沉淀DNA后,将全部溶液过柱,用洗液AW1和AW2各洗柱一次,最后加50μL洗脱液洗脱DNA。提取的DNA定量后,运用PCR方法检测样本中的细菌16S rDNA量,并按照测序要求构建DNA文库进一步验证。【结果】试剂盒优化法提取的BALF的DNA总量为467.5(135.0-1697.5)ng,明显高于按照传统酚-氯仿法提取的DNA总量95.0(0-612.5)ng,并且所提取的DNA可以很好的扩增细菌的16S rDNA以及构建DNA文库,改良后的扩增产物明显增多(P=0.002)。【结论】使用DNA提取试剂盒结合研磨珠和多功能生物样品匀质器破菌壁的方法能够更高效的提取BALF中微量的宏基因组DNA,为进一步的测序和菌群分析打下基础。     

Expression of the Arabidopsis histone H2A-1 gene correlates with susceptibility to Agrobacterium transformation

Transformation of plant cells by Agrobacterium tumefaciens involves both bacterial virulence proteins and host proteins. We have previously shown that the Arabidopsis thaliana gene H2A-1 (RAT5), which encodes histone H2A-1, is involved in T-DNA integration into the plant genome. Mutation of RAT5 results in a severely decreased frequency of transformation, whereas overexpression of RAT5 enhances the transformation frequency (Mysore et al., 2000b). We show here that the expression pattern of RAT5 correlates with plant root cells most susceptible to transformation. As opposed to a cyclin-GUS fusion gene whose expression is limited to meristematic tissues, the H2A-1 gene is expressed in many non-dividing cells. Under normal circumstances, the H2A-1 gene is expressed in the elongation zone of the root, the region that is most susceptible to Agrobacterium transformation. In addition, when roots are incubated on medium containing phytohormones, a concomitant shift in H2A-1 expression and transformation susceptibility to the root base is observed. Inoculation of root segments with a transfer-competent, but not a transformation-deficient Agrobacterium strain induces H2A-1 expression. Furthermore, pre-treatment of Arabidopsis root segments with phytohormones both induces H2A-1 expression and increases the frequency of Agrobacterium transformation. Our results suggest that the expression of the H2A-1 gene is both a marker for, and a predictor of, plant cells most susceptible to Agrobacterium transformation.     

白介素-18在被动吸烟诱导的慢性阻塞性肺疾病大鼠中的表达

目的 研究白介紊-18(Interleukin-18,IL-18)在被动吸烟诱导的慢性阻塞性肺疾病(chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,COPD)大鼠中的表达变化.方法 将20只大鼠随机分为2组,即正常对照组和COPD模型组.应用单纯被动吸烟法建立大鼠COPD模型,香烟烟雾暴露时间为6个月.利用酶联免疫吸附法测定2组大鼠血清和支气管肺泡灌洗液(bronchoal veolar lavage fluid,BALF)中的IL-18浓度,用实时定量RT-PCR法测定BALF中IL-18 mRNA的表达水平,用HE染色法观察肺组织形态学改变,用免疫组织化学染色法检测IL-18在肺组织中的表达.结果 1.COPD模型组血清和BALF中的IL-18浓度较正常对照组显著增加(P＜0.01);2.COPD模型组BALF中IL-18 mRNA的表达水平较正常对照组显著增高(P＜0.01);3.COPD模型组肺组织中IL-18的表达较正常对照组显著增加(P＜0.01).结论 被动吸烟诱导的COPD大鼠外周血和肺部均高表达IL-18,提示IL-18在吸烟所致的COPD发病机制中可能起重要作用.     

Pathophysiologic mechanisms of cardiorespiratory system dysfunction in high school children with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases]

The basic indices of the cardiorespiratory system function, gas exchange, regional pulmonary functions have been studied. It is stated that a group of children with a higher level of oxygen consumption (hyperergic type) as against a control group is characterized by disorder in permeability of terminal branches of a bronchial tree, by the development of acute obstructive emphysema, increase in alveolar ventilation with relative decrease in minute blood volume, arterial hypoxemia with possible emergence of tissue hypoxia. A decrease in permeability of large bronchi were observed in a group of children with a low level of oxygen consumption (hypoergic type). Due to this decrease the hypoventilation zones appeared. It caused the development of arterial hypoxemia, but a risk of the tissue hypoxia emergence was insignificant.     

Serum vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptor level in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disorder which encompasses not only morphological changes in parenchyma, central and peripheral airways but also in structural and functional changes of pulmonary vessels. The role of angiogenic factors leading to abnormal pulmonary vessel remodeling remains unclear. We have investigated a cytokine vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) known to be involved in angiogenesis, and its soluble receptors (sVEGF R1, sVEGF R2) in the serum of 20 patients with mild COPD and 10 patients with very severe COPD, using sensitive enzyme-linked immunoassays. The control group consisted of 10 healthy volunteers. We found that the concentration of VEGF in the serum of patients with mild COPD was significantly higher (665.31 +/- 102.20 pg/mL) in comparison to the control group (318.94 +/- 51.40 pg/mL; p < 0.05), and there was a strong negative correlation with FEV1 (r = -0.859; p < 0.001). Additionally, the level of sVEGF R1 in the serum of patients with very severe COPD was also significantly higher (96.60 +/- 26.85 pg/mL) than in the control (36.01 +/- 3.29 pg/mL; p < 0.05) and a positive correlation between the serum level of sVEGF R1 and FEV1 was found (r = 0.748; p < 0.01). Moreover, we observed an insignificant increase of sVEGF R2 in the serum of patients with mild COPD and those with very severe COPD. These results suggest that VEGF and sVEGF R1 receptor are involved in the development of abnormal pulmonary vascular remodelling in patients with COPD.     

HDAC1蛋白在乳腺癌中的表达及临床意义及与ER、PR的关系

目的:探讨乳腺癌组织中组蛋白去乙酰化酶1(HDAC1)的表达及临床意义。方法:应用免疫组织化学SP法检测78例乳腺癌组织和20例癌旁组织中HDAC1蛋白的表达情况并分析其与ER、PR之间的关系。结果:(1)HDAC1蛋白在78例乳腺癌中的阳性表达率为78.2%(61/78),在癌旁组织中的阳性表达率为5%(1/20),两组差异有统计学意义(P<0.01)(2)乳腺癌组织中的HDAC1蛋白在ER或PR阴性乳腺癌组织中的表达分别高于其在ER或PR阳性乳腺癌组织中的表达(P<0.01)结论:乳腺癌组织中的HDAC1蛋白过度表达与肿瘤发生发展密切相关。     

Models of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major global health problem and is predicted to become the third most common cause of death by 2020. Apart from the important preventive steps of smoking cessation, there are no other specific treatments for COPD that are as effective in reversing the condition, and therefore there is a need to understand the pathophysiological mechanisms that could lead to new therapeutic strategies. The development of experimental models will help to dissect these mechanisms at the cellular and molecular level. COPD is a disease characterized by progressive airflow obstruction of the peripheral airways, associated with lung inflammation, emphysema and mucus hypersecretion. Different approaches to mimic COPD have been developed but are limited in comparison to models of allergic asthma. COPD models usually do not mimic the major features of human COPD and are commonly based on the induction of COPD-like lesions in the lungs and airways using noxious inhalants such as tobacco smoke, nitrogen dioxide, or sulfur dioxide. Depending on the duration and intensity of exposure, these noxious stimuli induce signs of chronic inflammation and airway remodelling. Emphysema can be achieved by combining such exposure with instillation of tissue-degrading enzymes. Other approaches are based on genetically-targeted mice which develop COPD-like lesions with emphysema, and such mice provide deep insights into pathophysiological mechanisms. Future approaches should aim to mimic irreversible airflow obstruction, associated with cough and sputum production, with the possibility of inducing exacerbations.