Endothelin-1 in stable bronchiectasis.
Endothelin (ET)-1 has been suggested to promote neutrophil adhesion to endothelium, migration to inflamed areas, and release of elastase. ET-1 might therefore play a role in the pathogenesis of bronchiectasis, a chronic inflammatory and infective airway disease which is still poorly understood. Thirty five patients with stable bronchiectasis (20 females, mean age+/-SD 49.1+/-15.0 yrs) and 18 control subjects (8 females, 49.4+/-11.3 yrs) were recruited prospectively. The ET-1 levels in serum and sputum were measured by commercially available enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. Patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa in their sputum had a significantly higher serum level of ET-1 (median 25.8, interquartile range 13-43.9 pg x mL(-1)) than patients without P. aeruginosa (0, 0-10.5 pg x mL(-1); p=0.0004) and healthy control subjects (4.6, 0-16.3 pg x mL(-1); p=0.002). However, patients with and without P. aeruginosa infection had no significant difference in sputum ET-1 level (p=0.15). There was no correlation between serum or sputum ET-1 levels with the serum and sputum levels of the interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-8 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha; the number of bronchiectasis lung lobes; and spirometry. Serum ET-1 level correlated with 24 h sputum volume for the bronchiectasis patients (r=0.51, p=0.002). The results, therefore, suggest a significant pathogenic role for endothelin-1 among Pseudomonas aeruginosa-infected patients with bronchiectasis. Further studies should be performed to evaluate the clinico-pathological correlation and expression of endothelin-1 in bronchiectasis.
University Dept of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, China.
L
L
Zheng
G
G
Tipoe
W K
WK
Lam
J C
JC
Ho
I
I
Shum
G C
GC
Ooi
R
R
Leung
K W
KW
Tsang
D001987:Bronchiectasis / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000032:analysis; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000032:analysis; D007962:Leukocytes; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase / Q000032:analysis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000150:complications; D013183:Sputum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000382:microbiology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis
D019332:Endothelin-1; D007375:Interleukin-1; D016209:Interleukin-8; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase