Upregulation of basic fibroblast growth factor in smokers with chronic bronchitis

¹ Pathology Unit, V. Cervello Hospital, Palermo
² Institute of Lung Pathophysiology, National Research Council, Palermo
³ Dept of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Sciences, Section of Respiratory Diseases, University of Padova
⁴ Dept of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Respiratory Diseases, University of Ferrara
⁵ Dept of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, University of Padova
⁶ Dept of Oncology and Hematology, Section of Respiratory Diseases, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: marina.saetta{at}unipd.it.

	Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate the expression of basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (bFGF) and its receptor (FGFR-1) in central airways of smokers with chronic bronchitis.

We examined lobar bronchi obtained from 17 subjects undergoing thoracotomy for solitary nodules. All had a history of cigarette smoking, nine had symptoms of chronic bronchitis and airflow limitation and eight were asymptomatic with normal lung function. Using immunohistochemical methods, we quantified bFGF and FGFR-1 expression in the total airway wall, and in the different airway compartments: bronchial glands, submucosal vessels and smooth muscle. Moreover, to investigate the role of bFGF in angiogenesis, we quantified the number of submucosal vessels.

Smokers with chronic bronchitis had an increased bFGF expression in total wall compared to asymptomatic smokers (p=0.02), which was mainly due to bFGF upregulation in bronchial glands (p=0.05). By contrast, the expression of the receptor FGFR-1 and the number of submucosal vessels were similar in the two groups of subjects examined. In conclusion, smokers with chronic bronchitis have an increased expression of bFGF in central airways which is mainly due to an increased expression in bronchial glands suggesting the involvement of this growth factor in the pathogenesis of chronic bronchitis.

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