title: β-Thymosins and interstitial lung disease: study of a scleroderma cohort with a one-year follow-up.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  β-thymosins play roles in cytoskeleton rearrangement, angiogenesis, fibrosis and reparative process, thus suggesting a possible involvement in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis. The aim of the study was to investigate the presence of thymosins β4, β4 sulfoxide, and β10 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of scleroderma patients with interstitial lung disease and the relation of these factors with pulmonary functional and radiological parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  β-thymosins concentrations were determined by reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray-mass spectrometry in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of 46 scleroderma patients with lung involvement and of 15 controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thymosin β4, β4 sulfoxide, and β10 were detectable in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of patients and controls. Thymosin β4 levels were significantly higher in scleroderma patients than in controls. In addition, analyzing the progression of scleroderma lung disease at one-year follow-up, we have found that higher thymosin β4 levels seem to have a protective role against lung tissue damage. Thymosin β4 sulfoxide levels were higher in the smokers and in the scleroderma patients with alveolitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We describe for the first time β-thymosins in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and their possible involvement in the pathogenesis of scleroderma lung disease. Thymosin β4 seems to have a protective role against lung tissue damage, while its oxidation product mirrors an alveolar inflammatory status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Santis
authors.forename: Rosanna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Inzitari
authors.forename: Silvia L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Bosello
authors.forename: Giusy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Peluso
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fanali
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Iavarone
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zizzo
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bocci
authors.forename: Tiziana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cabras
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Messana
authors.forename: Leo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fuso
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Varone
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pagliari
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castagnola
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ferraccioli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D056148:Chromatography, Reverse-Phase; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011653:Pulmonary Diffusing Capacity; D012384:Rome; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; D013947:Thymosin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014797:Vital Capacity; D000099201:Thymosin beta(4)
chemical_list: D013947:Thymosin; D000099201:Thymosin beta(4); C094615:thymosin beta(4) sulfoxide; C039302:thymosin beta(10)