Association of increased CCL5 and CXCL7 chemokine expression with neutrophil activation in severe stable COPD

BACKGROUND: Increased numbers of activated neutrophils have been reported in the bronchial mucosa of patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), particularly in severe disease. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the expression of neutrophilic chemokines and adhesion molecules in bronchial biopsies from patients with stable COPD of different severity (GOLD stages I-IV) compared with age-matched control subjects, smokers with normal lung function and never smokers. METHODS: The expression of CCL5, CXCL1, 5, 6, 7 and 8, CXCR1, CXCR2, CD11b and CD44 was measured in the bronchial mucosa using immunohistochemistry, confocal immunofluorescence, real-time quantitative polymerase chai…

The pathogenetic role of the chaperonin Hsp60 in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: new data and perspectives

Airway inflammation in healthy smokers

Cigarette smoking is a risk factor associated with lung cancer and many other neoplasms of various organs, coronary artery disease and numerous vascular disorders, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and other types of lung diseases [13]. Much work has been done on the in vitro and ex vivo carcinogenetic effects of tobacco smoking while the effects of smoking on innate and adaptive immune function have been studied to a lesser degree. Recent data suggests that cigarette smoke alters the functions of the immune system and increases susceptibility to viral and bacterial infections [4-6]. In the respiratory system along the last years many studies have depicted the changes induced by …

T helper type 17-related cytokine expression is increased in the bronchial mucosa of stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.

Summary There are increased numbers of activated T lymphocytes in the bronchial mucosa of stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. T helper type 17 (Th17) cells release interleukin (IL)-17 as their effector cytokine under the control of IL-22 and IL-23. Furthermore, Th17 numbers are increased in some chronic inflammatory conditions. To investigate the expression of interleukin (IL)-17A, IL-17F, IL-21, IL-22 and IL-23 and of retinoic orphan receptor RORC2, a marker of Th17 cells, in bronchial biopsies from patients with stable COPD of different severity compared with age-matched control subjects. The expression of IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-21, IL-22, IL-23 and RORC2 was measure…