Dataset Information

Airway regulatory T cells are decreased in COPD with a rapid decline in lung function.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Differences in the expression of regulatory T cells (Tregs) have been suggested to explain why some smokers develop COPD and some do not. Upregulation of Tregs in response to smoking would restrain airway inflammation and thus the development of COPD; while the absense of such upregulation would over time lead to chronic inflammation and COPD. We hypothesized that-among COPD patients-the same mechanism would affect rate of decline in lung function; specifically, that a decreased expression of Tregs would be associated with a more rapid decline in FEV₁.

Methods

Bronchoscopy with BAL was performed in 52 subjects recruited from the longitudinal OLIN COPD study; 12 with COPD and a rapid decline in lung function (loss of FEV₁???60 ml/year), 10 with COPD and a non-rapid decline in lung function (loss of FEV₁???30 ml/year), 15 current and ex-smokers and 15 non-smokers with normal lung function. BAL lymphocyte subsets were determined using flow cytometry.

Results

The proportions of Tregs with regulatory function (FoxP3⁺/CD4⁺CD25^bright) were significantly lower in COPD subjects with a rapid decline in lung function compared to those with a non-rapid decline (p?=?0.019). This result was confirmed in a mixed model regression analysis in which adjustments for inhaled corticosteroid usage, smoking, sex and age were evaluated. No significant difference was found between COPD subjects and smokers or non-smokers with normal lung function.

Conclusions

COPD subjects with a rapid decline in lung function had lower proportions of T cells with regulatory function in BAL fluid, suggesting that an inability to suppress the inflammatory response following smoking might lead to a more rapid decline in FEV₁. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT02729220.

SUBMITTER: Eriksson Strom J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7734742 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Airway regulatory T cells are decreased in COPD with a rapid decline in lung function.

Eriksson Ström Jonas J Pourazar Jamshid J Linder Robert R Blomberg Anders A Lindberg Anne A Bucht Anders A Behndig Annelie F AF

Respiratory research 20201214 1

<h4>Background</h4>Differences in the expression of regulatory T cells (Tregs) have been suggested to explain why some smokers develop COPD and some do not. Upregulation of Tregs in response to smoking would restrain airway inflammation and thus the development of COPD; while the absense of such upregulation would over time lead to chronic inflammation and COPD. We hypothesized that-among COPD patients-the same mechanism would affect rate of decline in lung function; specifically, that a decreas ...[more]

PMID: 33317530

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Dataset Information

Airway regulatory T cells are decreased in COPD with a rapid decline in lung function.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Airway regulatory T cells are decreased in COPD with a rapid decline in lung function.

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