Infection with rapidly growing nontuberculous mycobacteria is emerging as a global health issue; however, key host factors remain elusive. Here, we investigated the characteristic immune profiles of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients infected with Mycobacteroides abscessus subsp. abscessus (Mabc) and M. abscessus subsp. massiliense (Mmass). Using an integrated analysis of global mRNA and microRNA expression profiles, we found that several inflammatory cytokines/chemokines [interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 2, and C-C motif chemokine ligand 2] and miR-144-3p were significantly upregulated in PBMCs from patients compared with those from healthy controls (HCs). Notably, there was a strong correlation between the expression levels of miR-144-3p and proinflammatory cytokines/chemokines. Similarly, upregulated expression of miR-144-3p and proinflammatory cytokines/chemokines was found in macrophages and lungs from mice after infection with Mabc and Mmass. We showed that the expression of negative regulators of inflammation (SARM1 and TNIP3) was significantly downregulated in PBMCs from the patients, although they were not putative targets of miR-144-3p. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-144-3p led to a marked increase in proinflammatory cytokines/chemokines and promoted bacterial growth in macrophages. Together, our results highlight the importance of miR-144-3p linking to pathological inflammation during M. abscessus infection.
Background: Tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica (TPO) is characterized by the presence of diffuse cartilaginous or bony submucosal nodules that lead to airway lumen narrowing. So far, there was no study in South Korea analysing a large number of TPO patients. We aimed to elucidate its treatment strategy and clinical course by analysing the characteristics of TPO patients. Methods: In this retrospective study, we reviewed the clinical data of 40 patients diagnosed with TPO by bronchoscopy between October 1997 and April 2019 at a single referral hospital. Results: Of the 40 patients, 26 (65.0%) were male and the median age was 63.0 years. The most common symptom was cough (n=12, 30%). Pulmonary function test (PFT) revealed an obstructive pattern in 10 (25.7%) patients. Chest computed tomography (CT) scan showed 23 (62.6%) patients with diffuse narrowing and calcified nodules. In bronchoscopy, the entire trachea was found to be involved in 30 (75.0%) patients and airway narrowing was identified in 6 (15.0%) patients. Endobronchial biopsies were obtained from 15 patients and the most common findings included typical cartilaginous and bony tissues (n=14, 93.3%). Since most patients were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms, they did not undergo any specific treatment. Of the 19 symptomatic patients, 2 (5.0%) patients received laser therapy for treating tracheal stenosis. Conclusions: TPO is a slowly progressing disease and is well managed with conservative therapies.Although TPO shows a distinctive pattern by bronchoscopy, it follows a benign clinical course.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.