title: Alterations in the expression of the NF-κB family member RelB as a novel marker of cardiovascular outcomes during acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations are acute events of worsened respiratory symptoms and enhanced inflammation partly mediated by NF-κB activation. RelB, an NF-κB family member, suppresses cigarette smoke-induced inflammation but its expression in COPD is unknown. Moreover, there is no information on its association with clinical features of COPD. The objectives of this study were to assess RelB expression relative to markers of inflammation as well as its association with cardiovascular and pulmonary features of COPD patients at stable-state and exacerbation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from 48 COPD patients were analyzed. Blood samples were collected from stable-state and exacerbating patients. After RNA isolation, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed to assess RelB, Cox-2, IL-8 and IL-1β mRNA expression and their associations with measured clinical variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 48 COPD subjects, 18 were in stable-state and 30 were in exacerbation. RelB mRNA expression was lower than that of Cox-2, IL-8, and IL-1β in all cases (all p<0.001, except for IL-8 at exacerbation (p = 0.22)). Cox-2, IL-8 and IL-1β were significantly associated with clinical features of patients in both stable-state and at exacerbation. There was no association with RelB expression and any clinical features in COPD subjects at stable-state. RelB mRNA levels were significantly associated with cardiovascular events such as systolic blood pressure during exacerbation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RelB mRNA expression is lower than that of the other inflammatory mediators. Expression of Cox-2, IL-8 and IL-1β were related to clinical features in both stable-state and at exacerbation. However, RelB expression was associated with clinical features of patients only during exacerbation, suggesting that RelB may represent a novel marker of health outcomes, in particular cardiovascular, during exacerbation in COPD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Respiratory Epidemiology and Clinical Research Unit (RECRU), Montreal Chest Institute, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Labonté
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Epidemiology and Clinical Research Unit (RECRU), Montreal Chest Institute, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Coulombe
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Meakins-Christie Laboratories, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zago
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Respiratory Epidemiology and Clinical Research Unit (RECRU), Montreal Chest Institute, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bourbeau
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Meakins-Christie Laboratories, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Carolyn J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Baglole
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051841:Transcription Factor RelB / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; C497593:RELB protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051841:Transcription Factor RelB