title: Increased serum levels of HSP27 as a marker for incipient chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in young smokers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is amongst the leading causes of morbidity and mortality, no biomarkers for its early detection are known. We have recently demonstrated that COPD is accompanied by elevated serum heat shock protein (HSP) 27 levels as compared to a control population.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In an open prospective study, we investigated whether elevated HSP27 levels are associated with the early radiological signs of COPD, i.e., air trapping (AT), emphysema (E) and impaired lung function.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 120 apparently healthy smokers underwent lung function testing and serum sampling. Serum levels of HSP27, phospho-HSP27, CXCR2 chemokines and proteins related to inflammation, tissue remodeling and apoptosis were evaluated by ELISA. Of these 120 subjects, 94 voluntarily underwent a high-resolution computed tomography scan.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AT or AT and E were detected in 57.45%. Subjects with AT and E (n = 23) showed significantly higher HSP27 levels than those without any pathology [i.e., nothing abnormal detected (NAD)] (4,618 +/- 1,677 vs. 3,282 +/- 1,607 pg/ml; p = 0.0081). In a univariate logistic regression model including NAD and AT and E, the area under the curve of HSP27 in the receiver-operating-characteristic curve was 0.724, (0.594–0.854, 95% CI; p = 0.0033). Interestingly, proinflammatory IL-8 was elevated in those subjects with evidence of AT and E compared to those with AT and NAD. Lung function did not correlate with increased HSP27 levels or pathological radiological findings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HSP27 serum levels correlated with the early radiological signs of COPD, whereas lung function did not match with radiological findings or HSP27 serum levels. Serum HSP27 levels may serve as a potential marker to identify the early signs of COPD independent of lung function in young smokers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Austria. hendrik.ankersmit@meduniwien.ac.at
authors.forename: Hendrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jan Ankersmit
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nickl
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hoeltl
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Toepker
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lambers
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mitterbauer
authors.forename: Benedikt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kortuem
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Moser
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bekos
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Steinlechner
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hofbauer
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Klepetko
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schenk
authors.forename: Balazs
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dome
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D055551:HSP27 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012372:ROC Curve; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D055551:HSP27 Heat-Shock Proteins; D016209:Interleukin-8