title: Lung hyaluronan levels are decreased in alpha-1 antiprotease deficiency COPD.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hyaluronan (HA), a long-chain polysaccharide, is currently being evaluated as a potential therapeutic agent for pulmonary emphysema, based on previous studies from this laboratory indicating its protective effect against elastic fiber breakdown. To determine whether exogenously administered HA might replace a loss of this extracellular matrix component in this disease, we measured the content of HA in lung biopsies from both healthy individuals and alpha-1 antiprotease-deficient (AAPD) COPD patients with pulmonary emphysema.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tissue samples (9 from COPD patients, 5 from controls) were digested with papain to isolate glycosaminoglycans, and lung HA was quantified with an enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HA was significantly decreased in the AAPDCOPD population compared to normal individuals (13.5 vs 21.7 ng/mg wet lung; p < 0.01). Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between HA levels and the following parameters: 1) percent predicted FEV1 (r = 0.78; p < 0.001), 2) percent predicted DLCO (r = 0.74; p < 0.05), and 3) serum levels of AAP (r = 0.61; p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings support the hypothesis that depletion of lung HA plays a role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary emphysema, and that replacement of this matrix component could slow the progression of the disease.
authors: St John's University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and St Luke's - Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York City, NY, United States. Electronic address: jocantor1@gmail.com.
authors: Jerome
authors: J
authors: Cantor
authors: St John's University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and St Luke's - Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York City, NY, United States.
authors: Gerard
authors: G
authors: Armand
authors: St John's University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and St Luke's - Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York City, NY, United States.
authors: Gerard
authors: G
authors: Turino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin / Q000378:metabolism*; D019896:alpha 1-Antitrypsin Deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid
keywords: Alpha-1 antiprotease deficiency; COPD; Elastic fibers; Hyaluronan; Lung