Search results for "pathogen"

GM-CSF expression by human lung microvascular endothelial cells: in vitro and in vivo findings.

2002

Recently, many findings indicate that granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of acute and chronic lung diseases. In the present paper, the production of this cytokine in human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HPMEC) is investigated. In an in vitro study, quiescent HPMEC did not express GM-CSF, either at the transcriptional or at the protein level. After activation for 4 h with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α (30/300 U/ml), lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 0.1/1 μg/ml), or interleukin (IL)-1β (100 U/ml), a significant release of GM-CSF was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, with a time-dependent increase over 72 h. IL…

Contribution of bronchial biopsies in the evaluation of pathogenesis and progression of COPD.

2016

This review summarizes and discusses the lung pathology of COPD patients emphasising on inflammatory cell phenotypes and mechanisms which prevail in different clinical conditions. In bronchial biopsies a series of events takes place during the progression of the disease from mild to severe. T-lymphocytes, particularly CD8+ cells and macrophages are the prevalent inflammatory cells in the lungs of healthy smokers and patients with mild/moderate COPD. This T-cell activation seems to be sustained by CD4+, CD8+ cells and macrophages expressing transcription factors and Tc1 cytokines such as NF-kB, STAT4 and IFNγ. In contrast, severe disease is characterized by lymphocytes producing greater amo…

Clinical implications of airway hyper-responsiveness in COPD

2006

COPD represents one of the leading causes of mortality in the general population. This study aimed at evaluating the relationship between airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) and COPD and its relevance for clinical practice. We performed a MEDLINE search that yielded a total of 1919 articles. Eligible studies were defined as articles that addressed specific aspects of AHR in COPD, such as prevalence, pathogenesis, or prognosis. AHR appears to be present in at least one out of two individuals with COPD. The occurrence of AHR in COPD is influenced by multiple mechanisms, among which impairment of factors that oppose airway narrowing plays an important role. The main determinants of AHR are reduct…

Characteristics of coronary microcirculatory function in patients with Takotsubo syndrome.

2017

Background: Takotsubo syndrome (TS) is a recently described cardiac syndrome whose pathogenesis is still unclear. We investigated the characteristics of coronary microcirculatory function in patients with TS through the analysis of the TIMI frame count (TFC) compared to normal subjects and with to subjects with microvascular angina (MA). Methods: We enrolled 71 TS patients (F:M =69:2, mean age of 65.27±9.53 years), 70 controls (F:M =34:36, mean age of 56.63±13.5 years) and 71 patients with MA, (F:M =69:2, mean age of 65.9±9.2 years). The assessment of the microcirculation was carried out through the TFC. Results: microcirculation was significantly altered in patients with TS compared with h…

Urticaria and bacterial infections

2014

The association between urticaria and infectious diseases has been discussed for >100 years. However, a causal relationship with underlying or precipitating infection is difficult to establish. The purpose of this work was to perform a systematic analysis of the published cases of urticaria associated with bacterial infections. We give an umbrella breakdown of up-to-date systematic reviews and other important publications on the complex association of urticaria and bacterial infections. We did a Medline search, for English language articles published until January 2014, using the key words "urticaria" and "bacteria/bacterial disease"; a second analysis was performed in groups of bacteria an…

Audiological Investigation of Otitis Media in Children with Atopy

2011

Otitis media (OM) describes an inflammatory process within the middle ear space that is generally associated with accumulation of fluid and that may lead to hearing loss, learning difficulties, and delays in language development. The pathogenesis of OM is multifactorial, involving the adaptive and native immune system, eustachian tube dysfunction, viral and bacterial load, and genetic and environmental factors. The involvement of IgE-mediated allergic reactions in the pathogenesis of OM has been suggested by clinical observations of a high prevalence of OM among patients with allergies. Evidence from studies involving tympanometric measurements, audiometric measurements, and otoscopic exami…

Decreased glutathione and low catalase activity contribute to oxidative stress in children with α-1 antitrypsin deficiency: Table 1

2014

Background Recent investigations in animal models have revealed oxidative stress and oxidative damage in the pathogenesis of alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD). However, no data are available on the oxidative stress status and antioxidant enzyme activity in these patients. This study was aimed to analyse the oxidative stress profile and enzymatic antioxidant defence mechanisms in children with AATD. Methods Oxidative stress parameters and the activity of the main antioxidant enzymes were prospectively measured in serum of fifty-one children diagnosed with AATD and thirty-eight control individuals. Results Oxidative stress was increased in the serum of children with intermediate- (MZ; SZ)…

Host-directed therapies and holistic care for tuberculosis

2020

Serological biomarkers for the diagnosis of Mycobacterium abscessus infections in cystic fibrosis patients

2021

International audience; Background: Culture conditions sometimes make it difficult to detect non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), particularly Mycobacterium abscessus, an emerging cystic fibrosis (CF) pathogen. The diagnosis of NTM positive cases not detected by classical culture methods might benefit from the development of a serological assay.Methods: As part of a diagnostic accuracy study, a total of 173 sera CF-patients, including 33 patients with M. abscessus positive cultures, and 31 non-CF healthy controls (HC) were evaluated. Four M. abscessus antigens were used separately, comprising two surface extracts (Interphase (INP) and a TLR2 positive extract (TLR2eF)) and two recombinant pro…

The potential role of SP-D as an early biomarker of severity of asthma

2021

Surfactant decreases the surface tension of peripheral airways and modulates the immunological responses of the lung. The alterations of surfactant due to the airway inflammation suggest a role in the pathogenesis of asthma. We aim to test the hypothesis that serum levels of SP-A (Surfactant Protein A) and SP-D (Surfactant Protein-D) are altered in patients with mild asthma compared to healthy controls and those alterations are related to functional abnormalities of peripheral airways, which are an early marker of progression of asthma. In this pilot study, we recruited 20 mild asthmatics and 10 healthy controls. We measured serum SP-A and SP-D and all subjects underwent clinical, lung func…