Abstract
Introduction: Exacerbations of COPD (ECOPD) are characterized by a burst of inflammation. The inflammasome is an intracellular sensing mechanism that leads to activation of caspase-1 and processing of pro IL-1β and pro IL-18 into their mature forms.
Aim: To investigate if the inflammasome pathway is activated in ECOPD patients.
Methods: We studied 10 COPD patients hospitalized because of ECOPD, 7 of whom were revaluated 3 months after discharge (sECOPD), 13 patients with clinically stable COPD (SCOPD), 8 smokers with normal lung function (S) and 11 non smokers (NS). We determined: (1) in serum: caspase-1, IL-1β, IL-18, IL-1Ra, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-a; (2) in circulating monocytes and lymphocytes: intracellular activity of caspase-1 (basally and after stimulation with inflammasome ligands: ATP, Nigericine and Cigarette Smoke Medium); and (3) in whole blood: caspase-1 and NLRP3 mRNA.
Results: Table 1 shows main results (mean ± SD).
Table 1
Conclusions: The inflammasome pathway participates in the inflammatory burst that characterizes ECOPD.
- © 2011 ERS
