title: COPD and levels of Hsp70 (HSPA1A) and Hsp27 (HSPB1) in plasma and lymphocytes among coal workers: a case-control study.
abstract: This case-control study aimed to investigate whether the levels of Hsp70 (HSPA1A) and Hsp27 (HSPB1) in plasma and lymphocytes were associated with the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among coal workers. A total of 76 COPD cases and 48 age-matched healthy controls from a group of coal workers were included. The case group consisted of 35 COPD patients whose condition was complicated with coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) and 41 COPD patients without CWP. Heat shock proteins (Hsps) in plasma and lymphocytes were detected by ELISA and flow cytometry, respectively. Multiple logistic regression models were applied to estimate the association between Hsp levels and COPD risk. Our results showed that plasma Hsp70 and lymphocyte Hsp27 levels were significantly higher and plasma Hsp27 levels were significantly lower in COPD cases than in controls (p < 0.01). No significant differences in lymphocyte Hsp70 levels were found between COPD cases and the matched subjects. Higher plasma Hsp70 levels (odds ratio (OR) = 13.8, 95 % confidence interval (CI) = 5.7-33.5) and lower plasma Hsp27 levels (OR = 4.6, 95 % CI = 2.0-10.5) were significantly associated with an increased risk of COPD after adjusting for confounders. Higher lymphocyte Hsp27 levels were only associated with an increased risk of COPD with CWP (OR = 6.6, 95 % CI = 2.0-22.1) but not with an increased risk of COPD without CWP (OR = 3.0, 95 % CI = 0.9-8.9). Additionally, there were strong joint effects of different Hsps on COPD risk. These results showed that higher levels of plasma Hsp70 and lower levels of plasma Hsp27 might be associated with an increased risk of COPD among coal workers. They may have the potential to serve as monitoring markers for COPD in coal workers.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Xiuqing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Jingcai
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.forename: Yuewei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Zhihong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wenhui
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Tangchun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Weihong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D055008:Anthracosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003031:Coal; D003032:Coal Mining; D055551:HSP27 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000067572:Miners; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011009:Pneumoconiosis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D003031:Coal; D055551:HSP27 Heat-Shock Proteins; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; C490786:HSPA1A protein, human; C057725:HSPB1 protein, human; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D018832:Molecular Chaperones