Cleaved caspase-3 in lung epithelium of children who died with acute respiratory distress syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the extent of cleaved caspase-3 immunostaining in lung epithelial cells in children with acute respiratory distress syndrome.


METHODS
Observational study in sixteen children who died with acute respiratory distress syndrome and diffuse alveolar damage.


METHODS
Pediatric intensive care unit.


METHODS
Sixteen children with fatal acute respiratory distress syndrome and diffuse alveolar damage.


METHODS
None.


RESULTS
Double immunohistochemistry for cleaved caspase-3 and (pan)cytokeratin in lung tissues obtained at autopsy. Spectral imaging was used for the quantification of immunohistochemistry colocalization of these markers. We found a wide range in the percentage of alveolar epithelial cell surface area with positive cleaved caspase-3 staining in the lungs of children with acute respiratory distress syndrome (from 1% to almost 20%). The degree of caspase-3 immunostaining in epithelial cells positively correlated with age.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a high variability in the extent of classic apoptosis in lung epithelial cells in pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome, potentially in part dependent on age.
Bem
Reinout A
RA
From the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam, Netherlands. r.a.bem@amc.uva.nl
van der Loos
Chris M
CM
van Woensel
Job B M
JB
Bos
Albert P
AP
D000293:Adolescent; D017209:Apoptosis; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015278:Intensive Care Units, Pediatric; D008168:Lung / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*
D053148:Caspase 3