title: [Levels of HMGB1 in induced sputum from patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the relationship between the sputum levels of high mobility group protein B1 (HMGB1) and airway inflammation in bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 57 patients with persistent asthma [per Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines], 30 patients with stable COPD [stratified by Global Initiative for COPD (GOLD) status] and 20 control subjects were recruited. After completing an asthma control questionnaire, spirometry was performed before sputum induction. The ratio of forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV(1))/predictive value (FEV(1)%Pre) and neutrophil differential count in induced sputum were recorded. The concentrations of HMGB1 in the supernatant of sputum were measured by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sputum concentrations of HMGB1 in the asthmatics and COPD patients were significantly higher than those of the control subjects [(291 ± 55) and (511 ± 39) vs (61 ± 5) ng/L, all P < 0.01]. And they were significantly negatively correlated with FEV(1)%Pre in all subjects. The levels of HMGB1 in induced sputum of COPD patients were significantly higher than those of asthmatics and healthy controls (P < 0.01). No significant difference existed in the levels of HMGB1 between patients with eosinophilic and noneosinophilic asthma [(290 ± 55) vs (292 ± 54) ng/L, P > 0.05]. The HMGB1 levels with COPD stage II and stage III were significantly higher than those with stage I [(526 ± 29) and (541 ± 29) vs (471 ± 18) ng/L]. The differences of sputum neutrophil percentage were statistically significant in mild, moderate and severe asthma [(27 ± 2)%, (36 ± 4)%, (49 ± 4)%]. And the sputum levels of HMGB1 were significantly higher in the patients with moderate and severe asthma [(312 ± 14) vs (347 ± 11) ng/L]. And the levels of HMGB1 in asthmatic and COPD patients were positively correlated with neutrophil percentage. According to the multivariate analysis, neutrophil percentage and FEV(1)%Pre were independent predictors of sputum HMGB1, but not smoking, age, gender and eosinophilic percentage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HMGB1 may contribute to airway inflammation through its higher expression in bronchial asthma and COPD patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhengzhou University, China. chengzhehi@126.com
authors.forename: Zhe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Qiu-ge
authors.initials: QG
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Ling-ling
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Yong-na
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Ji-ming
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Si
authors.forename: Chun-yan
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D024243:HMGB1 Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000378:metabolism*; D013183:Sputum / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D024243:HMGB1 Protein