Innate immunity proteins in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) may be caused by epithelial cell injury. Epithelial cells respond to injury by secreting innate immunity proteins. To investigate whether altered levels of innate immunity proteins are observed in COPD and IPF, the authors assessed secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI), elafin, CC16, and beta-defensin-2 levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in sputum supernatants from COPD patients (n = 19), smokers without COPD (n = 21), and never-smokers (n = 10) and in BALF supernatants from patients with IPF (n = 11) and subjects without IPF (n = 11). CC16 levels were decreased, whereas SLPI and elafin levels were increased in COPD patients (0.8 [0-4.2] microg/mL, 2.5 [0.3-10.5] microg/mL, 213 [152-318] pg/mL, respectively) compared to smokers without COPD (1.8 [0.1-21.2] microg/mL, 0.8 [0.2-2.6] microg/mL, 172 [71-473] pg/mL, respectively) and never-smokers (0.5 [0-4.8] microg/mL, 0.1 [0.05-0.6] microg/mL, 188 [129-218] pg/mL, respectively) (CC16: P = .001; SLPI: P <.001; elafin: P = .041). beta-Defensin-2 was detected in smokers without COPD (98 [10-729] pg/mL) and never-smokers (74 [35-410] pg/mL), but not in COPD. SLPI and elafin levels did not differ between IPF patients and controls, but CC16 levels were increased in IPF (0.5 [0-2.3] versus 0.2 [0-0.3] microg/mL; P = .019). beta-Defensin-2 was not detected in BALF. In conclusion, in COPD, secretion of CC16 and beta-defensin-2 might be suppressed, whereas SLPI and elafin secretion is up-regulated. In IPF, only CC16 secretion is up-regulated.
Tsoumakidou
Maria
M
Department of Thoracic Medicine, University Hospital of Heraklion, Heraklion, Greece. tsoumak@yahoo.gr
Bouloukaki
Izolde
I
Thimaki
Katerina
K
Tzanakis
Nikos
N
Siafakas
Nikos M
NM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000276:immunology; D053492:Elafin / Q000032:analysis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D054990:Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000276:immunology*; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000276:immunology*; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000276:immunology*; D053481:Secretory Leukocyte Peptidase Inhibitor / Q000032:analysis; D012907:Smoking / Q000276:immunology; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D013183:Sputum / Q000276:immunology; D014598:Uteroglobin / Q000032:analysis; D055815:Young Adult; D023083:beta-Defensins / Q000032:analysis
D015415:Biomarkers; C106641:DEFB4A protein, human; D053492:Elafin; C506806:PI3 protein, human; C556389:SCGB1A1 protein, human; C506814:SLPI protein, human; D053481:Secretory Leukocyte Peptidase Inhibitor; D023083:beta-Defensins; D014598:Uteroglobin