%0 Journal Article %A Benjamin Renaud-Picard %A Tristan Degot %A Davide Biondini %A Michèle Beau-Faller %A Thomas Lavaux %A Nicola Santelmo %A Sandrine Hirschi %A Romain Kessler %T Epidermal growth factor receptor expression in human lung transplantation %D 2014 %J European Respiratory Journal %P P3310 %V 44 %N Suppl 58 %X Background: EGFR is a tyrosine kinase receptor present in epithelial cells. EGFR is activated in a ligand-dependent manner. The role of EGFR activation in lung transplantation (LTX) is not known.Objectives: Describe the evolution post LTX of the expression of EGFR gene in both bronchial and peripheral lung biopsies and the concentrations of soluble EGFR (sEGFR), EGF and TGF-alpha in serum and BALF.Methods: We performed serial blood sampling and bronchoscopies at baseline (MO), and 1 (M1), 3 (M3) and 12 (M12) months in a cohort of 27 consecutive patients who underwent LTX in our centre during 2009. Levels of expression of EGFR gene were assessed by RT-qPCR. Measurements of EGFRs, EGF and TGF-alpha serum concentrations were achieved using Luminex® assays.Results:Between M0 and M12, the concentrations of EGF and TGF-alpha decreasedin serum (-88±152 pg/ml, p=0.006 and -12±22 pg/ml, p=0.003 resp.). By contrast, the concentration of sEGFR in serum increased (+1256±2159 pg/ml, p=0.003). The level of expression of EGFR increased in bronchial samples (+6±4 EGFR/PBGD, p=0.0001) but remained stable in peripheral lung biopsies (0±1.5 EGFR/PBGD, NS). We observed only 1 occurrence of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS≥1) 12 months after LTX, 5 at 18 months and 9 at 48 months. We didn't found any significant correlation between the evolution of EGFR gene expression or the serum/BALF concentrations of EGFR ligands during the first year post LTX and the occurrence of BOS.Conclusion: Expression of bronchial EGFR and serum concentration of sEGFR increased during the first year post LTX. %U