Impaired macrophage phagocytosis of bacteria in severe asthma |
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Authors: | Zhike Liang Qingling Zhang Catherine MR Thomas Kirandeep K Chana David Gibeon Peter J Barnes Kian Fan Chung Pankaj K Bhavsar Louise E Donnelly |
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Institution: | 1.Airway Disease, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, & Biomedical Research Unit, Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Trust, London SW3, UK;2.State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital & Guangzhou First People’s Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China;3.National Heart & Lung Institute, Dovehouse St, London SW3 6LY, UK |
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Abstract: | BackgroundBacteria are frequently cultured from sputum samples of severe asthma patients suggesting a defect in bacterial clearance from the airway. We measured the capacity of macrophages from patients with asthma to phagocytose bacteria.MethodsPhagocytosis of fluorescently-labelled polystyrene beads, Haemophilus influenzae or Staphylococcus aureus by broncholaveolar lavage alveolar macrophages (AM) and by monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) from non-asthmatics, mild-moderate and severe asthmatic patients was assessed using fluorimetry.ResultsThere were no differences in phagocytosis of polystyrene beads by AMs or MDMs from any of the subject groups. There was reduced phagocytosis of Haemophilus influenzae and Staphylococcus aureus in MDMs from patients with severe asthma compared to non-severe asthma (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively) and healthy subjects (p < 0.01and p < 0.001, respectively). Phagocytosis of Haemophilus influenzae and Staphylococcus aureus by AM was also reduced in severe asthma compared to normal subjects (p < 0.05). Dexamethasone and formoterol did not suppress phagocytosis of bacteria by MDMs from any of the groups.ConclusionsPersistence of bacteria in the lower airways may result partly from a reduced phagocytic capacity of macrophages for bacteria. This may contribute to increased exacerbations, airway colonization and persistence of inflammation. |
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Keywords: | Macrophages Phagocytosis Staphylococcus aureus Haemophilus influenzae Asthma |
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