Aspergillus colonization is a common phenomenon in adult cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. The clinical significance of Aspergillus for the pathogenesis of CF lung disease remains unclear and factors predisposing to such colonization are still completely unknown. We investigated the prevalence of Aspergillus colonization in 104 adult CF patients who attended our outpatient clinic in 1997. With respect to demographic and clinical data, and antibiotic therapy received, we further examined which factors were associated with Aspergillus colonization in these patients. Repeated investigations of CF sputum samples revealed Aspergillus species in 43/104 (41.3%; 95% confidence interval 30.2-52.5%) of the patients. We found no significant relationship between Aspergillus colonization and age (P > 0.4), gender (P = 0.4), colonization with pseudomonas species (P > 0.6), lower lung function values (P > 0.9), or worse chest radiography (P > 0.1). Surprisingly, the prevalence of Aspergillus colonization was higher in CF patients receiving prophylactic antibiotic therapy (oral antibiotics: P = 0.05; inhalative antibiotics: P = 0.035; both antibiotics: P = 0.048). Prophylactic antibiotics are widely used to eradicate or decrease chronic bronchopulmonary infection in CF. Our results indicate that long-term antibiotic therapy may predispose CF patients to Aspergillus colonization.

Taken together, our results suggest that NSAIDs affect polyamine metabolism in colon cancer cells by inducing SSAT activity, and that polyamine depletion in NSAID-treated colon cancer cells is mainly due to enhanced polyamine acetylation and irreversible depletion of intracellular polyamine pools.

Whey proteins (WP) exert anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Hyperbaric pressurisation of whey increases its digestibility and changes the spectrum of peptides released during digestion. We have shown that dietary supplementation with pressurised whey improves nutritional status and systemic inflammation in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Both clinical indices are largely affected by airway processes, to which respiratory epithelial cells actively contribute. Here, we tested whether peptides released from the digestion of pressurised whey can attenuate the inflammatory responses of CF respiratory epithelial cells. Hydrolysates of pressurised WP (pWP) and native WP (nWP, control) were generated in vitro and tested for anti-inflammatory properties judged by the suppression of IL-8 production in CF and non-CF respiratory epithelial cell lines (CFTE29o-and 1HAEo-, respectively). We observed that, in both cell lines, pWP hydrolysate suppressed IL-8 production stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to a greater magnitude compared with nWP hydrolysate. Neither hydrolysate suppressed IL-8 production induced by TNF-a or IL-1b, suggesting an effect on the Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 pathway, the cellular sensor for LPS. Further, neither hydrolysate affected TLR4 expression or neutralised LPS. Both pWP and nWP hydrolysates similarly reduced LPS binding to surface TLR4, while pWP tended to more potently increase extracellular antioxidant capacity. In conclusion: (1) anti-inflammatory properties of whey are enhanced by pressurisation; (2) suppression of IL-8 production may contribute to the clinical effects of pressurised whey supplementation on CF; (3) this effect may be partly explained by a combination of reduced LPS binding to TLR4 and enhanced extracellular antioxidant capacity.

Pressurized whey supplementation, by its antioxidant and nutritional properties, may improve exercise tolerance and potentiate the effects of exercise training in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 22 patients with COPD were allocated to receive active pressurized whey or placebo (casein) dietary supplementation for a 16-week period. Patients continued their usual physical activities for the first 8 weeks, whereas they were subjected to an exercise training program for the remaining 8 weeks of the study. Patients were evaluated at baseline, after 8 weeks of supplementation alone (time point, 8 weeks), and after 8 weeks of its combination with exercise training (time point, 16 weeks). The constant workrate cycle endurance test (CET), potentiated quadriceps twitch force, mid-thigh cross-sectional area, and Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire (CRQ) were used to evaluate the effects of treatments. The inflammatory (C-reactive protein and interleukin-6) and oxidant/antioxidant (protein oxidation and glutathione) blood profiles were also characterized. At week 8, there was no increase in CET time in either group. At week 16, there was a statistically significant increase in CET time in the whey-only group (P < .05). Further, at week 16, there was clinically significant improvement in the Dyspnea and the Mastery scales of the CRQ in both groups. Also, the Fatigue and Emotional Control scales of the CRQ showed clinically significant improvement in the whey-only group. Study interventions did not modify significantly the systemic inflammatory and oxidative stress markers that were assessed. Thus dietary supplementation with pressurized whey may potentiate the effects of exercise training on exercise tolerance and quality of life in patients with COPD.