title: SERUM AND BAL YKL-40 LEVELS IN DIFFERENT INFLAMMATORY LUNG DISEASES: AN UPDATE.
abstract: YKL-40 (also called chitinase 3-like-1 or human cartilage glycoprotein 39) is a chitinase-like protein belonging to the family 18 of glycosyl hydrolase (GH18). This protein is involved in the inflammatory process acting as pro-inflammatory cytokine secreted by neutrophils, activated human macrophages, vascular smooth muscle cells and cancer cells. It has been shown that YKL-40 has a role in pathological tissue remodeling and development of fibrosis of several diseases. To date, the biological and pathophysiological function of YKL-40 protein in pulmonary diseases is still unclear. This review focuses on the role of YKL-40 in diagnosis and monitoring of different lung diseases in order to assess whether this protein could be used as biomarker of specific conditions featured by inflammation and fibrosis. A comprehensive review of the literature using PubMed database, with appropriate terms, was undertaken for articles in English published since 1997. The literature search was undertaken in October 2014.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Broncho-Pneumology and Cystic Fibrosis, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Filippelli
authors.affiliation: Unit of Genetics and Pediatric Immunology, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cuppari
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Broncho-Pneumology and Cystic Fibrosis, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Giacchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Broncho-Pneumology and Cystic Fibrosis, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lanzafame
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Broncho-Pneumology and Cystic Fibrosis, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rotolo
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Broncho-Pneumology and Cystic Fibrosis, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Garozzo
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Broncho-Pneumology and Cystic Fibrosis, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Capizzi
authors.affiliation: Center for Integrated Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Microbiology, Campus Bio-Medico, University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Musumeci
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Sciences and Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, CNR, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Musumeci
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Broncho-Pneumology and Cystic Fibrosis, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leonardi