In:
Respiration, S. Karger AG, Vol. 83, No. 6 ( 2012), p. 507-519
Abstract:
〈 b 〉 〈 i 〉 Background: 〈 /i 〉 〈 /b 〉 Recent evidence suggests that YKL-40, also called chitinase-3-like-1 protein, is involved in the pathogenesis of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Details of sputum YKL-40 in asthma and COPD, however, remain unknown. 〈 b 〉 〈 i 〉 Objectives: 〈 /i 〉 〈 /b 〉 To clarify associations of sputum YKL-40 levels with clinical indices in asthma and COPD. 〈 b 〉 〈 i 〉 Methods: 〈 /i 〉 〈 /b 〉 Thirty-nine patients with asthma, 14 age-matched never-smokers as controls, 45 patients with COPD, and 7 age-matched smokers as controls were recuited for this study. Sputum YKL-40 levels were measured and YKL-40 expression in sputum cells was evaluated by immunocytochemistry. 〈 b 〉 〈 i 〉 Results: 〈 /i 〉 〈 /b 〉 Sputum YKL-40 levels were higher in patients with COPD (346 ± 325 ng/ml) than in their smoker controls (125 ± 122 ng/ml; p 〈 0.05), but were not significantly different between patients with asthma (117 ± 170 ng/ml) and their controls (94 ± 44 ng/ml; p = 0.15). In patients with asthma only, sputum YKL-40 levels were positively correlated with disease severity (r = 0.34, p = 0.034) and negatively correlated with pre- and postbronchodilator %FEV 〈 sub 〉 1 〈 /sub 〉 (r = –0.47 and –0.42, respectively; p 〈 0.01) and forced mid-expiratory flow (r = –0.48 and –0.46, respectively, p 〈 0.01). Sputum YKL-40 levels were positively correlated with sputum neutrophil counts in asthma (r = 0.55, p 〈 0.001) and with neutrophil and macrophage counts in COPD (r = 0.45 and 0.65, respectively, p 〈 0.01). YKL-40 was expressed in the cytoplasm of sputum neutrophils and macrophages in all groups. 〈 b 〉 〈 i 〉 Conclusions: 〈 /i 〉 〈 /b 〉 Elevated sputum YKL-40 reflects airflow obstruction in asthma whereas the roles of YKL-40 in the proximal airways in COPD remain to be elucidated.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0025-7931
,
1423-0356
Language:
English
Publisher:
S. Karger AG
Publication Date:
2012
detail.hit.zdb_id:
1464419-8
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