COPD is associated with reduced pulmonary interstitial expression of pentraxin-3

Abstract

Pentraxin (PTX)3 is involved in antimicrobial defence, apoptotic cell clearance and extracellular matrix stability. As these processes are altered in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), we aimed to investigate PTX3 expression in patients with this disease.PTX3 expression was quantified by immunohistochemical staining of lung tissue from neversmokers, smokers without COPD, and in patients with COPD of Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stage I, II and III-IV. mRNA expression was examined in total lung tissue by quantitative RT-PCR. PTX3 concentration was measured in induced sputum and plasma by ELISA.PTX3 is mainly localised in the interstitium of the small airways and alveolar walls. There were no significant differences in pulmonary, sputum and plasma PTX3 expression between study groups. However, PTX3 expression in small airways correlated significantly with forced expiratory volume in 1 s (r50.35, p50.004). In the alveolar walls, PTX3 expression correlated significantly with carbon monoxide transfer coefficient (r50.28, p50.04). In sputum, PTX3 levels were highly correlated with the number of neutrophils. Finally, systemic levels of PTX3 tended to be lower in severe COPD compared with mild COPD.In COPD, airflow limitation and reduced transfer coefficient for carbon monoxide are associated with lower pulmonary interstitial expression of PTX3.

Investigating the role of pentraxin 3 as a biomarker for bacterial infection in subjects with COPD

“…PTX3 has been shown to be elevated in COPD subjects compared with healthy controls in plasma34 and sputum 35. PTX3 levels have been correlated with the number of neutrophils present in sputum and have been shown to be elevated in current and ex-smokers compared with non-smokers 36. Our results support these statements.…”

Efferocytosis and Lung Disease

“…41 Patients with COPD have altered expression of other proteins involved in efferocytosis, including reduced extracellular pentraxin-3 in small airways. 43 Inhibiting efferocytosis exacerbated elastase-induced emphysema in mice. 44 …”

Pentraxin-3 in COPD: innocent bystander or amplifier?

“…There is a need for innovative prognostic markers relevant to disease progression and its complications [2]. In this report, VAN POTTELBERGE et al [1] found that lower levels of PTX3 in the lung interstitium of COPD patients were associated with airway obstruction as assessed by forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1). The different levels of PTX3 were not a reflection of different amounts of PTX3 mRNA transcripts, as assessed in whole tissue extracts.…”

“…Mantovani I n this issue of the European Respiratory Journal, VAN POTTELBERGE et al [1] report on the association between interstitial levels of the long pentraxin, PTX3, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD remains a formidable challenge in terms of identifying prognostic markers and innovative therapeutic approaches.…”

“…The questions raised by the study by VAN POTTELBERGE et al [1] will require integrated translational studies in carefully controlled cohorts of patients. In particular, PTX3 polymorphisms have provided genetic evidence in males of the role of this molecule in innate immunity [8,16,17].…”