title: Different patterns of lung sirtuin expression in smokers with and without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is characterized by persistent and modified inflammatory responses in lung. Human sirtuin, an antiaging and antiinflammatory protein, is a metabolic NAD(+)-dependent protein/histone deacetylase that regulates proinflammatory mediators by deacetylating histone and nonhistone proteins. The aim of our study was to compare the expression of sirtuin in large and small airways in nonsmokers, asymptomatic smokers, and smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 12 nonsmokers, 14 asymptomatic smokers, and 12 smokers with moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were enrolled into the study. Immunohistochemical and Western blot methods were used to analyze sirtuin expression in the airways.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The obtained results showed the nonuniform sirtuin expression throughout the bronchial tree. Smokers both with and without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease had decreased sirtuin expression in large airways. However, in small airways, sirtuin expression was decreased only in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In addition, a correlation between airflow limitation, smoked pack-years and the number of sirtuin-positive cells in airways was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Smoking is characterized by suppressed sirtuin expression in large airways, whereas chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is characterized by more severe suppression of sirtuin expression both in large and small airways.
authors: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Latvia, Sarlotes 1A, 1001 Riga, Latvia. sergisajevs@inbox.lv
authors: Sergejs
authors: S
authors: Isajevs
authors: Gunta
authors: G
authors: Strazda
authors: Uldis
authors: U
authors: Kopeika
authors: Immanuels
authors: I
authors: Taivans
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000378:metabolism*; D037761:Sirtuins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012907:Smoking / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D037761:Sirtuins