Lumican and biglycan expression in lungs of COPD patients

Elastic Fiber Density in Large and Small Airways and Parenchyma in Lungs of Non-Smokers, Smokers and COPD Patients.

Versican and collagen-III expression in bronchial and pulmonary muscular arteries in COPD patients

Background: We demonstrated that COPD patients have thicker bronchial and pulmonary muscular arteries (MA) compared with never and non-obstructed smokers. The composition of the extracellular matrix of these altered MA has been not fully described. Objectives: To investigate the expression of versican and collagen-III in bronchial and pulmonary MA in the lungs of mild/moderate COPD patients. Methods: Eighteen mild/moderate COPD subjects (67±8y, FEV 1 : 67±15%pred), 14 non-obstructed smokers (64±8y, FEV 1 : 95±10%pred) and 11 never-smoking controls (CTRL) (51±12y, FEV 1 : 108±15%pred) were studied. Lung tissue obtained during surgery (ethical approval obtained) was used to analyze the expres…

Extracellular matrix composition in COPD

Extracellular matrix (ECM) composition has an important role in determining airway structure. We postulated that ECM lung composition of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients differs from that observed in smoking and nonsmoking subjects without airflow obstruction. We determined the fractional areas of elastic fibres, type-I, -III and -IV collagen, versican, decorin, biglycan, lumican, fibronectin and tenascin in different compartments of the large and small airways and lung parenchyma in 26 COPD patients, 26 smokers without COPD and 16 nonsmoking control subjects. The fractional area of elastic fibres was higher in non-obstructed smokers than in COPD and nonsmoking controls…

Glycoproteins In Large And Small Airways And In Lung Parenchyma Of COPD Patients

Remodeling of bronchial and pulmonary muscular arteries in mild/moderate COPD

Pulmonary hypertension is well documented in severe COPD but little is known about vascular remodeling in mild/moderate patients. Aim:To investigate bronchial and pulmonary muscular arteries morphology and the expression of elastic fibers (EF) and collagen I in the lungs of mild/moderate COPD patients. Methods:Lung tissue of 18 COPD subject (FEV1:67±15%pred), 14 non-obstructed smokers(NOS) (FEV1:95±10%pred) and 11 never-smoking controls(CTRL) (FEV1:108±15%pred) was used to analyze the morphology of bronchial and pulmonary muscular arteries and the expression of EF and collagen I in the tunica intima, media and adventitia, using immune- and histochemistry and image analysis. Values (mean±SD)…