No evidence of chromosome damage in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in industrialized countries. It is characterized by a progressive airflow limitation resulting from an abnormal inflammatory response of the lungs to inhaled gases and particles. Since oxidative stress is thought to play a role in COPD, and since increased oxidative stress is associated with chromosomal instability in several diseases, we investigated whether such relationship also exists in COPD. Whole blood lymphocytes from 49 COPD patients and 48 age- and sex-matched controls were cultivated in vitro and cytogenetic damage was evaluated by micronucleus (MN) and sister-chromatid-exchange (SCE) assays. In patients with COPD, MN frequency was not significantly different from that of controls. Similarly, SCE frequency did not differ in the two groups suggesting no disturbance in DNA replication. Unlike other diseases characterized by oxidative stress, COPD does not appear to be associated with DNA damage.
Casella
Marta
M
Cell Biology and Cytogenetics Unit, Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy.
Miniati
Massimo
M
Monti
Simonetta
S
Minichilli
Fabrizio
F
Bianchi
Fabrizio
F
Simi
Silvana
S
D000368:Aged; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004249:DNA Damage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008297:Male; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D012854:Sister Chromatid Exchange; D012907:Smoking