CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE

Neutrophilic infiltration within the airway smooth muscle in patients with COPD

S Baraldo¹, G Turato¹, C Badin¹, E Bazzan¹, B Beghé¹, R Zuin¹, F Calabrese², G Casoni³, P Maestrelli⁴, A Papi³, L M Fabbri⁵, M Saetta¹

¹ Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Respiratory Diseases, University of Padova, Italy
² Institute of Pathology, University of Padova, Italy
³ Research Center on Asthma and COPD, University of Ferrara, Italy
⁴ Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, University of Padova, Italy
⁵ Departments of Respiratory Diseases and Radiology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr M Saetta
Divisione di Pneumologia, Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Sperimentale, Università degli Studi di Padova, Via Giustiniani 3, 35128 Padova, Italy; marina.saetta{at}unipd.it

Background: COPD is an inflammatory disorder characterised by chronic airflow limitation, but the extent to which airway inflammation is related to functional abnormalities is still uncertain. The interaction between inflammatory cells and airway smooth muscle may have a crucial role.

Methods: To investigate the microlocalisation of inflammatory cells within the airway smooth muscle in COPD, surgical specimens obtained from 26 subjects undergoing thoracotomy (eight smokers with COPD, 10 smokers with normal lung function, and eight non-smoking controls) were examined. Immunohistochemical analysis was used to quantify the number of neutrophils, macrophages, mast cells, CD4+ and CD8+ cells localised within the smooth muscle of peripheral airways.

Results: Smokers with COPD had an increased number of neutrophils and CD8+ cells in the airway smooth muscle compared with non-smokers. Smokers with normal lung function also had a neutrophilic infiltration in the airway smooth muscle, but to a lesser extent. When all the subjects were analysed as one group, neutrophilic infiltration was inversely related to forced expiratory volume in 1 second (% predicted).

Conclusions: Microlocalisation of neutrophils and CD8+ cells in the airway smooth muscle in smokers with COPD suggests a possible role for these cells in the pathogenesis of smoking induced airflow limitation.

Keywords: airflow limitation; smoking; inflammation; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Article

Airwaves

Wisia Wedzicha
Thorax 2004 59: 273. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Andersson, C K, Mori, M, Bjermer, L, Lofdahl, C-G, Erjefalt, J S (2009). Novel site-specific mast cell subpopulations in the human lung. Thorax 64: 297-305 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Turato, G., Barbato, A., Baraldo, S., Zanin, M. E., Bazzan, E., Lokar-Oliani, K., Calabrese, F., Panizzolo, C., Snijders, D., Maestrelli, P., Zuin, R., Fabbri, L. M., Saetta, M. (2008). Nonatopic Children with Multitrigger Wheezing Have Airway Pathology Comparable to Atopic Asthma. Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. 178: 476-482 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Chung, K. F., Adcock, I. M. (2008). Multifaceted mechanisms in COPD: inflammation, immunity, and tissue repair and destruction. Eur Respir J 31: 1334-1356 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Kunisaki, K. M., Rice, K. L., Janoff, E. N., Rector, T. S., Niewoehner, D. E. (2008). Exhaled nitric oxide, systemic inflammation, and the spirometric response to inhaled fluticasone propionate in severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A prospective study. Ther Adv Respir Dis 2: 55-64 [Abstract]  
• Renda, T., Baraldo, S., Pelaia, G., Bazzan, E., Turato, G., Papi, A., Maestrelli, P., Maselli, R., Vatrella, A., Fabbri, L. M., Zuin, R., Marsico, S. A., Saetta, M. (2008). Increased activation of p38 MAPK in COPD. Eur Respir J 31: 62-69 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Siddiqui, S., Hollins, F., Saha, S., Brightling, C. E. (2007). Inflammatory cell microlocalisation and airway dysfunction: cause and effect?. Eur Respir J 30: 1043-1056 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Battaglia, S., Mauad, T., van Schadewijk, A. M, Vignola, A. M, Rabe, K. F, Bellia, V., Sterk, P. J, Hiemstra, P. S (2007). Differential distribution of inflammatory cells in large and small airways in smokers. J. Clin. Pathol. 60: 907-911 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Yoshida, T., Tuder, R. M. (2007). Pathobiology of Cigarette Smoke-Induced Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Physiol. Rev. 87: 1047-1082 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Zhu, J., Qiu, Y., Valobra, M., Qiu, S., Majumdar, S., Matin, D., De Rose, V., Jeffery, P. K. (2007). Plasma Cells and IL-4 in Chronic Bronchitis and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. 175: 1125-1133 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Pilette, C., Colinet, B., Kiss, R., Andre, S., Kaltner, H., Gabius, H-J., Delos, M., Vaerman, J-P., Decramer, M., Sibille, Y. (2007). Increased galectin-3 expression and intra-epithelial neutrophils in small airways in severe COPD. Eur Respir J 29: 914-922 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Soriano, J. B., Sin, D. D., Zhang, X., Camp, P. G., Anderson, J. A., Anthonisen, N. R., Buist, A. S., Burge, P. S., Calverley, P. M., Connett, J. E., Petersson, S., Postma, D. S., Szafranski, W., Vestbo, J. (2007). A Pooled Analysis of FEV1 Decline in COPD Patients Randomized to Inhaled Corticosteroids or Placebo. Chest 131: 682-689 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Agusti, A., Soriano, J. B. (2006). Dynamic hyperinflation and pulmonary inflammation: a potentially relevant relationship?. ERR 15: 68-71 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Guddo, F., Vignola, A. M., Saetta, M., Baraldo, S., Siena, L., Balestro, E., Zuin, R., Papi, A., Maestrelli, P., Fabbri, L. M., Bonsignore, G., Turato, G. (2006). Upregulation of basic fibroblast growth factor in smokers with chronic bronchitis. Eur Respir J 27: 957-963 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• O'Donnell, R, Breen, D, Wilson, S, Djukanovic, R (2006). Inflammatory cells in the airways in COPD. Thorax 61: 448-454 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Chung, K. F. (2005). The Role of Airway Smooth Muscle in the Pathogenesis of Airway Wall Remodeling in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Proc Am Thorac Soc 2: 347-354 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Bruno, A., Chanez, P., Chiappara, G., Siena, L., Giammanco, S., Gjomarkaj, M., Bonsignore, G., Bousquet, J., Vignola, A. M. (2005). Does leptin play a cytokine-like role within the airways of COPD patients?. Eur Respir J 26: 398-405 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Kinnula, V L (2005). Focus on antioxidant enzymes and antioxidant strategies in smoking related airway diseases. Thorax 60: 693-700 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Wouters, E. F. M. (2005). Local and Systemic Inflammation in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Proc Am Thorac Soc 2: 26-33 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Oltmanns, U., Sukkar, M. B., Xie, S., John, M., Chung, K. F. (2005). Induction of Human Airway Smooth Muscle Apoptosis by Neutrophils and Neutrophil Elastase. Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Bio. 32: 334-341 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Brightling, C E, Pavord, I D (2004). Location, location, location: microlocalisation of inflammatory cells and airway dysfunction. Thorax 59: 734-735 [Full Text]