Project description:Differential profiles from whole genome human expression arrays on monocytes obtained from peripheral blood in COPD was studied and compared with controls. Monocytes were isolated from Controls (Group 1) which included Control Smokers (Group 1A) and Control Never Smokers (Group 1B) and COPD (Group 2) which included COPD Smokers (Group 2A) and COPD ExSmokers (Group 2B). Differential transcriptomic expression associated with (i) Smoking, (ii) COPD, and (iii) cessation of smoking were identified.
Project description:Rationale: COPD is characterized by an abnormal regulatory T cell (Treg) response and increases in Th1 and Th17 cell responses. It is unclear if dysregulation of miRNAs within Treg alters the adaptive immunophenotype in COPD. Objectives: To compare the miRNA profile of COPD Treg cells with that of healthy controls and to explore the function of differentially expressed miRNAs. Methods: Treg cells (CD4+CD25+CD49-CD127-) and T effector (CD4+CD25-) cells were obtained from the peripheral blood of 4 nonsmokers, 4 healthy current smokers, and 4 COPD current smokers for analysis of miRNA expression, matching them for age and sex. We assessed expression initially by microarray analysis on the Illumina miRNA platform then conducted real time RT-PCR validation of the microarray results.
Project description:Rationale: COPD is characterized by an abnormal regulatory T cell (Treg) response and increases in Th1 and Th17 cell responses. It is unclear if dysregulation of miRNAs within Treg alters the adaptive immunophenotype in COPD. Objectives: To compare the miRNA profile of COPD Treg cells with that of healthy controls and to explore the function of differentially expressed miRNAs. Methods: Treg cells (CD4+CD25+CD49-CD127-) and T effector (CD4+CD25-) cells were obtained from the peripheral blood of 4 nonsmokers, 4 healthy current smokers, and 4 COPD current smokers for analysis of miRNA expression, matching them for age and sex. We assessed expression initially by microarray analysis on the Illumina miRNA platform then conducted real time RT-PCR validation of the microarray results. 24 samples were analyzed. 8 from each patient group of healthy Normal, Healthy Smoker, and COPD Smoker.
Project description:Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is India's second largest cause of death and is largely caused by smoking. Asymptomatic smokers develop COPD due to genetic, environmental, and molecular variables, making early screening crucial. Data-independent acquisition mass spectrometry (DIA-MS) proteomics offers an unbiased method to analyze proteomic profiles. This study is the first to use DIA-based proteomics to analyze individual serum samples from three distinct male cohorts: healthy individuals (n=10), asymptomatic smokers (n=10), and COPD patients (n=10). This comprehensive approach identified 667 proteins with a 1% false discovery rate. Differentially expressed proteins included 40 in the normal versus asymptomatic comparison, 88 in the COPD versus normal comparison, and 40 in the COPD versus asymptomatic comparison. Among them, PRDX6, ELANE, PRKCSH, PRTN3, and MNDA could help differentiate COPD from asymptomatic smokers, while ELANE, H3-3A, IGHE, SLC4A1, and SERPINA11 could differentiate COPD from healthy subjects. Pathway enrichment and protein-protein interaction analyses revealed significant alterations in hemostasis, immune system functions, fibrin clot formation, and post-translational protein modifications. Key proteins were validated using a parallel reaction monitoring assay. DIA data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD055242. Our findings reveal key protein classifiers in COPD patients, asymptomatic smokers, and healthy individuals, helping clinicians understand disease pathobiology and improve disease management and quality of life.
Project description:The first changes associated with smoking are in the small airway epithelium (SAE). Given that smoking alters SAE gene expression, but only a fraction of smokers develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), we hypothesized that assessment of SAE genome-wide gene expression would permit biologic phenotyping of the smoking response, and that a subset of healthy smokers would have a “COPD-like” SAE transcriptome. SAE (10th-12th generation) was obtained via bronchoscopy of healthy nonsmokers, healthy smokers and COPD smokers and microarray analysis was used to identify differentially expressed genes. Individual responsiveness to smoking was quantified with an index representing the % of smoking-responsive genes abnormally expressed (ISAE), with healthy smokers grouped into “high” and “low” responders based on the proportion of smoking-responsive genes up- or down-regulated in each smoker. Smokers demonstrated significant variability in SAE transcriptome with ISAE ranging from 2.9 to 51.5%. While the SAE transcriptome of “low” responder healthy smokers differed from both “high” responders and smokers with COPD, the transcriptome of the “high” responder healthy smokers was indistinguishable from COPD smokers. The SAE transcriptome can be used to classify clinically healthy smokers into subgroups with lesser and greater responses to cigarette smoking, even though these subgroups are indistinguishable by clinical criteria. This identifies a group of smokers with a “COPD-like” SAE transcriptome. Comparison of the transcriptome of small airway epithelium in healthy non-smokers, healthy smokers and smokers with COPD. One hundred and fifty-seven samples from several Series were compared.
Project description:Exosomal miRNAs have been studied in relation to many diseases. However, there is little to no knowledge regarding the miRNA population of BALF or the lung tissue derived exosomes in COPD and IPF. Considering this, we determined and compared the miRNA profiles of BALF and lung tissue-derived exosomes from healthy non-smokers, healthy smokers, and patients with COPD and IPF. NGS results identified three differentially expressed miRNAs in the BALF, while one in the lung-derived exosomes from COPD patients as compared to healthy non-smokers. Of these, we found three- and five-fold downregulation of miR-122-5p amongst the lung tissue-derived exosomes from COPD patients as compared to healthy non-smokers and smokers, respectively. Interestingly, there were key 55 differentially expressed miRNAs in the lung tissue-derived exosomes of IPF patients compared to non-smoking controls.
Project description:The first changes associated with smoking are in the small airway epithelium (SAE). Given that smoking alters SAE gene expression, but only a fraction of smokers develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), we hypothesized that assessment of SAE genome-wide gene expression would permit biologic phenotyping of the smoking response, and that a subset of healthy smokers would have a “COPD-like” SAE transcriptome. SAE (10th-12th generation) was obtained via bronchoscopy of healthy nonsmokers, healthy smokers and COPD smokers and microarray analysis was used to identify differentially expressed genes. Individual responsiveness to smoking was quantified with an index representing the % of smoking-responsive genes abnormally expressed (ISAE), with healthy smokers grouped into “high” and “low” responders based on the proportion of smoking-responsive genes up- or down-regulated in each smoker. Smokers demonstrated significant variability in SAE transcriptome with ISAE ranging from 2.9 to 51.5%. While the SAE transcriptome of “low” responder healthy smokers differed from both “high” responders and smokers with COPD, the transcriptome of the “high” responder healthy smokers was indistinguishable from COPD smokers. The SAE transcriptome can be used to classify clinically healthy smokers into subgroups with lesser and greater responses to cigarette smoking, even though these subgroups are indistinguishable by clinical criteria. This identifies a group of smokers with a “COPD-like” SAE transcriptome.
Project description:Study Smoking and COPD are associated with decreased mucociliary clearance and healthy smokers have shorter cilia in the large airway than nonsmokers. Intraflagellar transport (IFT) is the process by which cilia are produced and maintained. We assessed expression of IFT-related genes in smokers and nonsmokers and evaluated cilia length in the large and small airway of nonsmokers, healthy smokers, and smokers with COPD. Methods Airway epithelium was obtained via bronchoscopic brushing. Affymetrix microarrays were used to evaluate IFT gene expression in 2 independent data sets from large and small airway. Cilia length was assessed by measuring 100 cilia (10 cilia on each of 10 cells) per subject. Results All 40 IFT genes were expressed in the human large and small airway epithelium. In the large airway, 10 IFT genes were down-regulated and 1 up-regulated in smokers. In the small airway, 11 genes were down-regulated and 3 up-regulated in smokers. A set of 8 IFT genes was down-regulated in both data sets. In the large and small airway epithelium, cilia were significantly shorter in healthy smokers than nonsmokers, and significantly shorter in COPD smokers than in both healthy smokers and nonsmokers. Answer to the Question These results support the concept that loss of cilia length contributes to defective mucociliary clearance in COPD, and that smoking-induced changes in expression of IFT genes may be one mechanism of abnormally short cilia in smokers. Strategies to normalize cilia length may be an important avenue for novel COPD therapies.
Project description:Study Smoking and COPD are associated with decreased mucociliary clearance and healthy smokers have shorter cilia in the large airway than nonsmokers. Intraflagellar transport (IFT) is the process by which cilia are produced and maintained. We assessed expression of IFT-related genes in smokers and nonsmokers and evaluated cilia length in the large and small airway of nonsmokers, healthy smokers, and smokers with COPD. Methods Airway epithelium was obtained via bronchoscopic brushing. Affymetrix microarrays were used to evaluate IFT gene expression in 2 independent data sets from large and small airway. Cilia length was assessed by measuring 100 cilia (10 cilia on each of 10 cells) per subject. Results All 40 IFT genes were expressed in the human large and small airway epithelium. In the large airway, 10 IFT genes were down-regulated and 1 up-regulated in smokers. In the small airway, 11 genes were down-regulated and 3 up-regulated in smokers. A set of 8 IFT genes was down-regulated in both data sets. In the large and small airway epithelium, cilia were significantly shorter in healthy smokers than nonsmokers, and significantly shorter in COPD smokers than in both healthy smokers and nonsmokers. Answer to the Question These results support the concept that loss of cilia length contributes to defective mucociliary clearance in COPD, and that smoking-induced changes in expression of IFT genes may be one mechanism of abnormally short cilia in smokers. Strategies to normalize cilia length may be an important avenue for novel COPD therapies. Gene expression was assessed for 40 intraflagellar transport related genes in the LAE of nonsmokers (n=21) and healthy smokers (n=31) and the SAE of an independent group of nonsmokers (n=28) and healthy smokers (n=69). Cilia length was assessed in a total of 228 airway epithelium samples, including 120 LAE samples and 108 SAE samples; a subset of the 228 samples is represented among the 149 samples in this Series.