Cytotoxic lymphocytes show reduced expression of cd94/NKG2A and perforin in malignant pleural effusions

The adipokine leptin a pleiotropic molecule in the human respiratory tract

Leptin, a 16-kd adipocyte-derived hormone originally described in metabolism regulation, plays a pleiotropic role in the immune system and inflammation (1). Leptin exerts its action through the leptin receptor (Ob-R), present in several tissues, human respiratory tract included. Leptin is a survival cytokine for human neutrophils and eosinophils (2, 3), other than for other cytotypes, included lung carcinoma cells (4). The following findings highlight the specific role of leptin both in the lung and in the nasal tract. We firstly find that ex-vivo leptin expression is increased and co-localized with lymphocytes T inflammatory cells, in bronchial mucosa of chronic obstructive pulmonary disea…

β₂ long-acting and anticholinergic drugs control TGF-β1-mediated neutrophilic inflammation in COPD.

Micromaterials lipid-based for topic release of fluticasone propionate for the COPD treatment

Enhanced pulmonary delivery of Salmeterol Xinafoate (SX) by mucoadhesive microparticles

Counteracting effects of apigenin and leptin on lung adenocarcinoma cells.

IL-19 as putative biomarker for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps

“Smoke, Choline-Acetyl-Transferase, Muscarinic Receptors and fibroblast proliferation in COPD

Acetylcholine (ACh), synthesized by choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), and muscarinic M1, M2, and M3 receptors (MRs) are involved in fibroblast proliferation. We evaluated ChAT, MRs, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 and nuclear factor (NF) κB activation in lung fibroblasts from patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), control smokers, and controls. Human fetal lung fibroblasts (HFL-1) stimulated with interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and cigarette smoke extracts (CSEs) were evaluated for ChAT and MR expression. We tested the effects of ACh on fibroblast proliferation and its ability to bind fibroblasts from patients with COPD, control s…

Alterated expression of leptin and its receptor in the epithelium of asthmatic patients

Role of non cholinergic system components in Chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polips

Cigarette smoke increases TLR4 and modifies LPS mediated responses in airway epithelial cells.

Airway epithelium is emerging as a regulator of innate immune responses to a variety of insults including cigarette smoke. The main goal of this study was to explore the effects of cigarette smoke extracts (CSE) on Tolllike receptor (TLR) expression and activation in a human bronchial epithelial cell line (16-HBE). The CSE increased the expression of TLR4 and the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) binding, the nuclear factor-jB (NF-jB) activation, the release of interleukin-8 (IL-8) and the chemotactic activity toward neutrophils. It did not induce TLR2 expression or extracellular signal-regulated signal kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) activation. The LPS increased the expression of TLR4 and induced both NF-jB a…

Lung Immune and Coagulative Host Response in Patients With Acute Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (aeocpd).