The expression of selected fibrotic factors in COPD and asthma.

BACKGROUND

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and asthma are associated with chronic inflammation leading to airway obstruction and remodelling. There is little information on possible differences in the TGFB signalling pathway in the pathologies compared to less severe chronic bronchitis without airway obstruction.

AIM: To assess the expression of the selected TGFB signalling pathway-associated genes in the pathologies.

METHOD: RT-PCR was used to quantify the mRNAs in bronchoalveolar cells obtained from the Czech patients with chronic bronchitis (n = 26), COPD (n = 22), asthmatic (n = 14) patients.

RESULTS

There was no difference in the BAL cell expression of TGFB1-3, TGFBR1-2, SMAD2,4,5, and 7 between our patients with COPD and those with chronic bronchitis. The expressions were also similar in the patients with asthma and chronic bronchitis. There was no difference between the patients with asthma and COPD.

CONCLUSION

Although we observed no differences in our patients, other studies should investigate the genes and their possible correlation with advanced airway obstruction and emphysematous changes (Tab. 2, Fig. 3, Ref. 27). Text in PDF www.elis.sk Keywords: TGFB signalling pathway, COPD, asthma, chronic bronchitis, bronchoalveolar lavage.