American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Mar 2016
Flow Cytometric Analysis of Mononuclear Phagocytes in Non-diseased Human Lung and Lung-draining Lymph Nodes.
The pulmonary mononuclear phagocyte system is a critical host defense mechanism composed of macrophages, monocytes, monocyte-derived cells, and dendritic cells. However, our current characterization of these cells is limited because it is derived largely from animal studies and analysis of human mononuclear phagocytes from blood and small tissue resections around tumors. ⋯ Different mononuclear phagocytes, particularly dendritic cells, were labeled by intravascular and intrabronchial antibody delivery, countering the notion that tissue and blood mononuclear phagocytes are equivalent systems. Phenotypic descriptions of the mononuclear phagocytes in nondiseased lungs provide a precedent for comparative studies in diseased lungs and potential targets for therapeutics.
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Increased bronchial smooth muscle (BSM) mass is a key feature of airway remodeling that classically distinguishes severe from nonsevere asthma. Proliferation of BSM cells involves a specific mitochondria-dependent pathway in individuals with severe asthma. However, BSM remodeling and mitochondrial biogenesis have not been examined in nonsevere asthma. ⋯ This study reveals that BSM remodeling and mitochondrial biogenesis may play a critical role in the natural history of nonsevere asthma (Mitasthme study). Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT00808730).
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Mar 2016
The Presence of Chronic Mucus Hypersecretion Across Adult Life in Relation to COPD Development.
Chronic mucus hypersecretion (CMH) is common among smokers and is associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease development and progression. ⋯ CMH among middle-aged smokers represents an early developmental phase of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Smoking-related CMH usually resolves following smoking cessation but the longer its duration the greater the FEV1 lost, suggesting the course of CMH across adult life may reflect the underlying course of airway disease activity.