TY - JOUR T1 - Profiling the proteome of the lower airway respiratory tract lining fluid in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J VL - 42 IS - Suppl 57 SP - 399 AU - Elif Melis Bicer AU - Ben Forbes AU - Graham Somers AU - Anders Blomberg AU - Annelie Behndig AU - Ian Mudway Y1 - 2013/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/42/Suppl_57/399.abstract N2 - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory condition of the airways associated with protease, anti-protease imbalance and oxidative stress. Relatively little is known about how underlying airway immunopathology impacts upon the protective function of the respiratory tract lining fluid (RTLF).Aim: To investigate compositional differences in the RTLF proteome in COPD patients compared against aged and smoking history matched controls.Broncholaveolar lavage samples were obtained from COPD smokers (n=5, 63.8±6.0 years), COPD ex-smokers (n=10, 66.0±6.8 years), healthy smokers (n=5, 61.4±6.2 years) and healthy non smokers (n=5, 66.8±5.9 years). Samples were analysed by one-dimensional gel electrophoresis and nanoliquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, data processed using MASCOT and SCAFFOLD.We identified 342 unique proteins, the greatest number, 153, observed in healthy non smokers, with only 49 proteins identified in COPD ex-smokers. Proteins were classified according to their gene ontology annotation, with COPD smokers found to possess the greatest number with roles in inflammation, immune response and protease, anti-protease balance. Employing the sum of major ion intensities permitted a semi-quantitative assessment of protein concentrations with Calgranulin A, Surfactant protein A and Alpha-1 antitrypsin decreased in COPD smokers versus non smokers. Secretoglobulin concentrations were elevated in COPD patients versus smoking and non-smoking controls.Data suggests a simplified RTLF proteome in COPD, with a shift in protein expression in COPD smokers consistent with ongoing inflammation and protease, anti-protease imbalance. ER -