RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Activin-A BAL levels and Immunochemistry for activin A receptors in patients with asthma
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP PA595
DO 10.1183/13993003.congress-2015.PA595
VO 46
IS suppl 59
A1 Papaporfyriou, Anastasia
A1 Bakakos, Petros
A1 Kostikas, Konstantinos
A1 Papatheodorou, Georgios
A1 Emmanouil, Philip
A1 Kontogianni, Konstantina
A1 Konstantellou, Elissavet
A1 Hillas, Georgios
A1 Katafygiotis, Patroklos
A1 Trigidou, Rodoula
A1 Koulouris, Nikolaos
A1 Papiris, Spyridon
A1 Loukidis, Stelios
YR 2015
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/46/suppl_59/PA595.abstract
AB Introduction: Activin A is implicated in the remodeling processes. It exerts its biological effects though activation of transmembrane serine/threonine kinase receptors.Aim: To investigate both Activin A BAL levels and receptors' staining and to determine whether any upregulated expression is implicated in the remodeling processes.Methods: 12 patients with Severe Refractory [SRA] and 11 with mild to moderate disease were studied. All subjects underwent bronchoscopy. In BAL activin-A, cell counts, IL-8, TGF-β1, ECP and IL-13, were assessed. Smooth muscle area (SMA), reticular basement membrane (RBM) thickness and the length of epithelial detachment (ED) in bronchial biopsies of asthmatics with different underlying severity were assessed. Biopsies were stained with antibodies for ActRIIΑ, ActIIB and ALK-4. Possible associations with inflammatory cells and mediators in BAL were also assessed. All sections were analyzed with image analysis.Results: Activin-A was significantly increased in BAL of patients with SRA compared to mild and moderate ones [median IQR, 193 (87-264) vs 35(22-93), p<0.001]. Using regression analysis a positive association between Activin-A increased SMA, ED and levels of IL-13 were observed. ALK-4 receptor was highly expressed in patients with SRA compared to mild to moderate ones.Conclusions: ALK-4 seems to be the major receptor for Activin-A signaling in airway epithelium. Activin-A is implicated in the remodeling process in patients with SRA.