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Berengua C, Miró E, Gutiérrez C, Sánchez M, Mulero A, Ramos P, Del Cuerpo M, Torrego A, García-Cadenas I, Pajares V, Navarro F, Martino R, Rabella N. Detection of cytomegalovirus in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from immunocompromised patients with pneumonitis by viral culture and DNA quantification. J Virol Methods 2023; 317:114743. [PMID: 37116585 DOI: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2023.114743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To compare the detection of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid by viral culture and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and to establish a viral load threshold that can identify cases of HCMV replication indicative of pneumonitis. There is currently no universal viral load cut-off to differentiate between patients with and without pneumonitis, and the interpretation of qPCR results is challenging. METHODS 176 consecutive BAL samples from immunosuppressed hosts with signs and/or symptoms of respiratory infection were prospectively studied by viral culture and qPCR. RESULTS Concordant results were obtained in 81.25% of the BAL samples. The rest were discordant, as only 34% of the qPCR-positive BAL samples were positive by culture. The median HCMV load was significantly higher in culture-positive than in culture-negative BAL samples (5,038 vs 178 IU/mL). Using a cut-off value of 1,258 IU/mL of HCMV in BAL, pneumonia was diagnosed with a sensitivity of 76%, a specificity of 100%, a VPP of 100% and VPN of 98%, and HCMV was isolated in 100% of the BAL cultures. CONCLUSION We found that a qPCR-negative was a quick and reliable way of ruling out HCMV pneumonitis, but a positive result did not always indicate clinically significant replication in the lung. However, an HCMV load in BAL fluid of ≥1,258 IU/mL was always associated with disease, whereas <200 IU/mL rarely so.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Berengua
- Genetics and Microbiology Department. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Spain; Microbiology Department. Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau. Barcelona. Spain; Sant Pau Institute of Biomedical Research (IIb Sant Pau) Barcelona. Spain.
| | - E Miró
- Genetics and Microbiology Department. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Spain; Microbiology Department. Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau. Barcelona. Spain; Sant Pau Institute of Biomedical Research (IIb Sant Pau) Barcelona. Spain
| | - C Gutiérrez
- Microbiology Department. Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau. Barcelona. Spain
| | - M Sánchez
- Microbiology Department. Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau. Barcelona. Spain
| | - A Mulero
- Microbiology Department. Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau. Barcelona. Spain
| | - P Ramos
- Microbiology Department. Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau. Barcelona. Spain
| | - M Del Cuerpo
- Microbiology Department. Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau. Barcelona. Spain
| | - A Torrego
- Pneumology Department. Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau. Barcelona. Spain; Sant Pau Institute of Biomedical Research (IIb Sant Pau) Barcelona. Spain
| | - I García-Cadenas
- Pneumology Department. Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau. Barcelona. Spain; Sant Pau Institute of Biomedical Research (IIb Sant Pau) Barcelona. Spain
| | - V Pajares
- Pneumology Department. Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau. Barcelona. Spain; Sant Pau Institute of Biomedical Research (IIb Sant Pau) Barcelona. Spain
| | - F Navarro
- Genetics and Microbiology Department. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Spain; Microbiology Department. Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau. Barcelona. Spain; Sant Pau Institute of Biomedical Research (IIb Sant Pau) Barcelona. Spain
| | - R Martino
- Hematology Department. Hospital de la Santa Creu I Sant Pau. Barcelona. Spain; Sant Pau Institute of Biomedical Research (IIb Sant Pau) Barcelona. Spain
| | - N Rabella
- Genetics and Microbiology Department. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Spain; Microbiology Department. Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau. Barcelona. Spain; Sant Pau Institute of Biomedical Research (IIb Sant Pau) Barcelona. Spain
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Plaza V, Trigueros JA, Cisneros C, Domínguez-Ortega J, Cimbollek S, Fernández S, Hernández J, López JD, Ojanguren I, Padilla A, Pallarés A, Sánchez-Toril FJ, Torrego A, Urrutia I, Quirce S. The Importance of Small Airway Dysfunction in Asthma. The GEMA-FORUM III Task Force. J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol 2021; 31:433-436. [PMID: 33720836 DOI: 10.18176/jiaci.0686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- V Plaza
- Servei de Pneumologia i Al·lèrgia. Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau. Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau). Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Barcelona
| | - J A Trigueros
- Medicina de Familia. Centro de Salud de Menasalbas. Menasalbas, Toledo
| | - C Cisneros
- Servicio de Neumología. Hospital Universitario de La Princesa. Instituto de Investigación La Princesa Madrid
| | - J Domínguez-Ortega
- Servicio de Alergología. Instituto de Investigación Hospital Universitario La Paz (IdiPAZ). CIBER de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES). Madrid
| | - S Cimbollek
- Área de Alergología del Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío. Sevilla
| | - S Fernández
- Sevicio de Alergología. Hospital Universitario Río Hortega. Valladolid
| | - J Hernández
- Sección de Alergología. Hospital Nuestra Señora de la Montaña. Cáceres
| | - J D López
- Servicio de Alergología. Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca. Murcia
| | - I Ojanguren
- Servicio de Neumología. Hospital Universitario Valld'Hebron. Barcelona
| | - A Padilla
- Unidad de Neumología. Agencia Sanitaria Costa del Sol. Marbella, Málaga
| | - A Pallarés
- Servicio de Neumología. Servizo Galego de Saúde
| | | | - A Torrego
- Servicio de Neumología. Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau. Barcelona
| | - I Urrutia
- Unidad de Asma y Enfermedades Ocupacionales-Medioambientales del Servicio de Neumología. Hospital Galdakao-Usansolo. Galdakao, Bizkaia
| | - S Quirce
- Servicio de Alergología. Instituto de Investigación Hospital Universitario La Paz (IdiPAZ) y CIBER de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES). Madrid
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Farré N, Acosta E, Balart J, Sancho G, Majercakova K, Carrasco P, Fernández A, Camacho M, Majem M, Giménez A, Martínez E, Trujillo J, Torrego A, Pajares V, Craven-Bartle J. P3.14-014 Lung Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT): Patient's Outcome and Prognostic Factors. J Thorac Oncol 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtho.2017.09.1787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Melia MR, Del Carpio Huerta L, Joaquín AB, Palacios GA, Sullivan I, Perez AC, Farré N, Torrego A, Pajares V, Martínez E, Trujillo J, De Quinana C, Tarruella MM. P2.01-072 Local Management of Oligometastases in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). J Thorac Oncol 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtho.2017.09.1173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Anguera G, Riudavets M, Torrego A, Pajares V, Gimenez A, López-Vilaró L, Martínez E, Trujillo-Reyes J, Lerma E, Majem M. Repeated biopsy for mutational analysis on EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (EGFR-NSCLC): Feasibility and safety. Ann Oncol 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdx090.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Plaza V, Crespo A, Giner J, Merino JL, Ramos-Barbón D, Mateus EF, Torrego A, Cosio BG, Agustí A, Sibila O. Inflammatory Asthma Phenotype Discrimination Using an Electronic Nose Breath Analyzer. J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol 2015; 25:431-437. [PMID: 26817140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Patients with persistent asthma have different inflammatory phenotypes. The electronic nose is a new technology capable of distinguishing volatile organic compound (VOC) breath-prints in exhaled breath. The aim of the study was to investigate the capacity of electronic nose breath-print analysis to discriminate between different inflammatory asthma phenotypes (eosinophilic, neutrophilic, paucigranulocytic) determined by induced sputum in patients with persistent asthma. METHODS Fifty-two patients with persistent asthma were consecutively included in a cross-sectional proof-of-concept study. Inflammatory asthma phenotypes (eosinophilic, neutrophilic and paucigranulocytic) were recognized by inflammatory cell counts in induced sputum. VOC breath-prints were analyzed using the electronic nose Cyranose 320 and assessed by discriminant analysis on principal component reduction, resulting in cross-validated accuracy values. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were calculated. RESULTS VOC breath-prints were different in eosinophilic asthmatics compared with both neutrophilic asthmatics (accuracy 73%; P=.008; area under ROC, 0.92) and paucigranulocytic asthmatics (accuracy 74%; P=.004; area under ROC, 0.79). Likewise, neutrophilic and paucigranulocytic breath-prints were also different (accuracy 89%; P=.001; area under ROC, 0.88). CONCLUSION An electronic nose can discriminate inflammatory phenotypes in patients with persistent asthma in a regular clinical setting. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02026336.
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Sanchez B, Vandersteen G, Martin I, Castillo D, Torrego A, Riu PJ, Schoukens J, Bragos R. Minimally invasive in vivo human lung tissue bioimpedance measurements during the bronchoscopy procedure. Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc 2013; 2012:130-3. [PMID: 23365849 DOI: 10.1109/embc.2012.6345888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Respiratory diseases, which include diseases of the lung, pleura, bronchial tree, trachea, upper respiratory tract and of the respiratory muscles and nerves, are a common and important cause of illness and death among the population. Experimental evidences have shown that tissue lesions have different electrical properties compared with normal tissue. Therefore, lung tissues lesions may be differentiated from lung normal tissue by comparing the tissue passive electrical properties. The manuscript reports a feasibility study for minimally invasive in vivo human lung tissue tetrapolar bioimpedance measurements using a catheter during the bronchoscopy procedure based on multisine Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) at 10 kHz - 1 MHz.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Sanchez
- Departament d'Enginyeria Electronica, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya (UPC), 08034, Barcelona, Spain.
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Macedo P, Hew M, Torrego A, Jouneau S, Oates T, Durham A, Chung KF. Inflammatory biomarkers in airways of patients with severe asthma compared with non-severe asthma. Clin Exp Allergy 2009; 39:1668-76. [PMID: 19622091 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.2009.03319.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND About 5-10% of patients with asthma suffer from poorly-controlled disease despite corticosteroid (CS) therapy. OBJECTIVE We determined whether there were any differences in inflammatory biomarkers between severe and non-severe asthma patients. METHODS Nineteen severe and 20 non-severe asthma patients were recruited and underwent collection of induced sputum, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and bronchial biopsies. RESULTS Biopsy results showed no differences in eosinophils (major basic protein positive), neutrophils, macrophages, T cells and mast cells in the bronchial submucosa. However, subbasement membrane (SBM) thickness and smooth muscle area were increased in the biopsies. No significant differences were observed in the induced sputum inflammatory cells. In BAL fluid, there was a significant increase in neutrophils but a significant decrease in macrophages. Eosinophil counts were non-significantly increased threefold in both sputum and BAL in severe asthma. Levels of IL-8 and IL-13 in sputum supernatants were similar in both groups of asthma patients. There was a significant inverse correlation between post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 s and provocative concentration of methacholine causing a 20% fall in FEV(1) with SBM thickness. CONCLUSION Differences in inflammatory cells were observed mainly in terms of increased neutrophils and reduction in macrophage numbers in BAL fluid with a trend towards increased eosinophils in severe asthma compared with non-severe asthma. However, the most notable features are the increase in features of airway wall remodelling of SBM thickness and smooth muscle area.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Macedo
- Experimental Studies, Airway Disease Section, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College, London, UK
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Bhavsar P, Hew M, Khorasani N, Torrego A, Barnes PJ, Adcock I, Chung KF. Relative corticosteroid insensitivity of alveolar macrophages in severe asthma compared with non-severe asthma. Thorax 2008; 63:784-90. [PMID: 18492738 DOI: 10.1136/thx.2007.090027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 197] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND About 5-10% of patients with asthma suffer from poorly controlled disease despite corticosteroid (CS) treatment, which may indicate the presence of CS insensitivity. A study was undertaken to determine whether relative CS insensitivity is present in alveolar macrophages from patients with severe asthma and its association with p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation and MAPK phosphatase-1 (MKP-1). METHODS Fibreoptic bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) were performed in 20 patients with severe asthma and 19 with non-severe asthma and, for comparison, in 14 normal volunteers. Alveolar macrophages were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 10 mug/ml) and dexamethasone (10(-8) and 10(-6) M). Supernatants were assayed for cytokines using an ELISA-based method. p38 MAPK activity and MKP-1 messenger RNA expression were assayed in cell extracts. RESULTS The inhibition of LPS-induced interleukin (IL)1beta, IL6, IL8, monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1 and macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1alpha release by dexamethasone (10(-6) M) was significantly less in macrophages from patients with severe asthma than in macrophages from patients with non-severe asthma. There was increased p38 MAPK activation in macrophages from patients with severe asthma. MKP-1 expression induced by dexamethasone and LPS, expressed as a ratio of LPS-induced expression, was reduced in severe asthma. CONCLUSION Alveolar macrophages from patients with severe asthma demonstrate CS insensitivity associated with increased p38 MAPK activation that may result from impaired inducibility of MKP-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Bhavsar
- National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College, Dovehouse Street, London SW3 6LY, UK
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Molina-Molina M, Serrano-Mollar A, Bulbena O, Fernandez-Zabalegui L, Closa D, Marin-Arguedas A, Torrego A, Mullol J, Picado C, Xaubet A. Losartan attenuates bleomycin induced lung fibrosis by increasing prostaglandin E2 synthesis. Thorax 2006; 61:604-10. [PMID: 16601095 PMCID: PMC2104675 DOI: 10.1136/thx.2005.051946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The angiotensin system has a role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis. This study examines the antifibrotic effect of losartan, an angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonist, in bleomycin induced lung fibrosis and its possible implication in the regulation of prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) synthesis and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression. METHODS Rats were given a single intratracheal instillation of bleomycin (2.5 U/kg). Losartan (50 mg/kg/day) was administrated orally starting one day before induction of lung fibrosis and continuing to the conclusion of each experiment. RESULTS Losartan reduced the inflammation induced by bleomycin, as indicated by lower myeloperoxidase activity and protein content in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Collagen deposition induced by bleomycin was inhibited by losartan, as shown by a reduction in the hydroxyproline content and the amelioration of morphological changes. PGE(2) levels were lower in fibrotic lungs than in normal lungs. Losartan significantly increased PGE(2) levels at both 3 and 15 days. A reduction in COX-2 expression by bleomycin was seen at 3 days which was relieved by losartan. CONCLUSIONS The antifibrotic effect of losartan appears to be mediated by its ability to stimulate the production of PGE(2). Losartan, which is already widely used clinically, could be assessed as a new treatment in lung fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Molina-Molina
- Servei de Pneumologia, Institut Clínic del Tórax, Hospital Clínic, c/Villarroel 170, Barcelona 08036, Spain.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Bronchiectasis is a suppurative airway disease characterised by persistent cough and sputum production associated with bronchial dilatation. A study was undertaken to determine whether cough sensitivity is increased in bronchiectatic patients. METHODS Twenty two patients with bronchiectasis and 20 healthy non-smoking controls matched for age and sex were recruited into the study. Quality of life (Leicester Cough Questionnaire score), total cough symptom score, and extent of bronchiectasis on HRCT scans were recorded. Cough sensitivity was assessed using incremental inhalation of capsaicin concentrations; the concentration at which 5 or more coughs occurred (C5) was recorded. RESULTS Patients with bronchiectasis had increased sensitivity to capsaicin compared with controls (mean (SE) log10 C5 1.22 (0.20) v 1.89 (0.21); p<0.03). Capsaicin sensitivity correlated positively with the Leicester Cough Questionnaire score (r = 0.64; p = 0.005) and inversely with the total cough symptom score (r = -0.58; p = 0.004), but not with the extent of the disease. It also correlated with forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) in litres (r = 0.58; p = 0.005) but not with FEV1 % predicted. Capsaicin sensitivity was not related to the presence of infected sputum or to corticosteroid or bronchodilator use. CONCLUSIONS : Patients with bronchiectasis have a sensitive cough reflex which reflects the severity of cough symptoms. A measure of cough severity could be part of health assessment for patients with bronchiectasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Torrego
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College, Dovehouse Street, London SW3 6LY, UK
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Valero A, Serrano C, Valera JL, Barberá A, Torrego A, Mullol J, Picado C. Nasal and bronchial response to exercise in patients with asthma and rhinitis: the role of nitric oxide. Allergy 2005; 60:1126-31. [PMID: 16076296 DOI: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2005.00835.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Physical exercise is associated with a decrease in nasal resistance in rhinitis and an increase in bronchial resistance in asthma. The objective was to evaluate the relationship between the levels of nasal nitric oxide (nNO) and exhaled bronchial nitric oxide (eNO) with bronchial responses to exercise in patients with rhinitis and asthma. METHODS We submitted 24 subjects with asthma and rhinitis to an exercise test. A decrease in FEV(1)> or =15% was considered positive. The volume of the nasal cavity and the minimal cross-sectional area (MCA) was evaluated by means of acoustic rhinometry (AR), and nNO and eNO were evaluated by chemoluminiscence. The measurements were recorded at baseline, 15 and 50 min after the end of the exercise test. RESULTS The exercise test was positive in 17 cases. Fifteen minutes after exercise test, the nasal volume increased by 57% (P < 0.0001) and was still increased by 30% after 50 min (P < 0.0001). There was no correlation between decrease in FEV(1) and increase in nasal volume. The baseline value of nNO was 1185 +/- 439 ppb, and the value at 15 and 50 min was 1165 +/- 413 and 1020 +/- 368 ppb, the latter value being significantly lower (P < 0.01) than the baseline. The baseline value of eNO was 21 +/- 19 ppb, with no significant differences at 15 and 50 min. There was no significant correlation between either the decrease in FEV(1) and the nasal response, or the baseline eNO and nNO values. CONCLUSIONS The nasal and bronchial response to exercise is completely different in rhinitis and asthma; in the former, an increase in nasal volume occurs, while in the latter there is a drop in FEV(1). There is no relationship between the values of nasal or exhaled NO and the nasal and bronchial response after exercise.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Valero
- Unidad de Alergia, Servicio de Neumología y Alerdia Respiratoria, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Affiliation(s)
- B G Cosío
- Servicio de Neumología, Hospital Universitario Son Dureta, Palma de Mallorca, Baleares, Spain.
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Abstract
Inhaled and intranasal glucocorticoids are the most common and effective drugs for controlling symptoms and airway inflammation in respiratory diseases such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, and nasal polyposis. The last few years have seen a growing understanding of the mechanisms of glucocorticoid action and, in particular, the receptor that mediates glucocorticoid actions, the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). In this revision we present an update on the GR gene, the expression and regulation of its gene products, namely GRalpha and GRbeta, as well as their alterations in pathological states. GRalpha is responsible for the induction and repression of target genes, it is expressed in virtually all human cells and tissues, and its expression is known to be downregulated by glucocorticoids. GRbeta has been found to act as a dominant negative inhibitor of GRalpha-mediated transactivation in in vitro studies with transfected cells, but it does not appear to have a significant inhibitory effect on GRalpha-mediated transrepression. In addition, for most tissues the expression of GRbeta, at least at the mRNA level, is extremely low compared with that of GRalpha. Some pro-inflammatory cytokines appear to upregulate the expression of GRbeta, and increased GRbeta expression has been reported in diseases associated with glucocorticoid resistance or insensitivity, such as bronchial asthma, nasal polyposis, and ulcerative colitis. However, the possible role of GRbeta in modulating glucocorticoid sensitivity and/or resistance in vivo has been highly debated and it is not yet clear.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Pujols
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, Barcelona, Spain
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Pujols L, Xaubet A, Ramírez J, Mullol J, Roca-Ferrer J, Torrego A, Cidlowski JA, Picado C. Expression of glucocorticoid receptors alpha and beta in steroid sensitive and steroid insensitive interstitial lung diseases. Thorax 2004; 59:687-93. [PMID: 15282390 PMCID: PMC1747090 DOI: 10.1136/thx.2003.013268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sensitivity to glucocorticoids may be related to the concentration of glucocorticoid receptors alpha (GRalpha) and beta (GRbeta). A study was undertaken to assess GRalpha and GRbeta expression in steroid insensitive interstitial lung disease (idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)) and steroid sensitive interstitial lung diseases (sarcoidosis and cryptogenic organising pneumonia (COP)). METHODS Lung tissue was obtained from control subjects and from patients with IPF, sarcoidosis, and COP. Pulmonary function tests were carried out at the time of lung biopsy and every 3 months. GRalpha and GRbeta expression was evaluated by both competitive RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. Data are presented as median and 25-75th percentile. RESULTS GRalpha mRNA expression (10(5) cDNA copies/ micro g total RNA) was higher in patients with steroid sensitive interstitial lung diseases (10.0; 7.8-14.9; n = 11) than in patients with IPF (4.4; 3.2-6.6; n = 19; p<0.001). GRbeta expression was at least 1000 times lower than that of GRalpha and did not differ between the three groups. A negative correlation was found between GRalpha mRNA levels and the fibrotic pathology score of the tissue (r = -0.484, p<0.01) and a positive correlation was found between GRalpha mRNA levels and improvement in forced vital capacity (r = 0.633; p<0.01) after treatment of patients with glucocorticoids. Immunoreactivity for GR protein was also higher in patients with sarcoidosis and COP than in those with IPF. CONCLUSION The variable response of some interstitial lung diseases to steroid treatment may be the result of differences in the expression of GRalpha.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Pujols
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, Barcelona, Spain
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Torrego A, Pujols L, Picado C. [Response to glucocorticoid treatment in asthma. The role of alpha and beta isoforms of the glucocorticoid receptor]. Arch Bronconeumol 2002; 38:436-40. [PMID: 12237016 DOI: 10.1016/s0300-2896(02)75258-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A Torrego
- Servei de Pneumologia, Institut Clínic de Pneumologia i Cirurgia Toràcica, Universitat de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.
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Tortajada C, Torrego A, Revilla M, García F, Miró JM, Gatell JM. [Osteomyelitis caused by Cryptococcus and Salmonella in a patient with AIDS]. Rev Clin Esp 1998; 198:403-4. [PMID: 9691755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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