RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Mast cells in COPD airways: relationship to bronchodilator responsiveness and angiogenesis
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP 1361
OP 1367
DO 10.1183/09031936.00084411
VO 39
IS 6
A1 Amir Soltani
A1 Yean Pin Ewe
A1 Zhen Sheng Lim
A1 Sukhwinder S. Sohal
A1 David Reid
A1 Steve Weston
A1 Richard Wood-Baker
A1 E. Haydn Walters
YR 2012
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/39/6/1361.abstract
AB We have investigated whether mast cells are associated with bronchodilator responsiveness and airway vascular changes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) airways. We have previously shown that the reticular basement membrane is hypervascular and the lamina propria is hypovascular in COPD. Bronchial biopsies from 32 COPD subjects, 15 smokers with normal lung function and 17 controls, were immunostained for factor VIII, mast cell tryptase and chymase antibodies. Mast cells in the airway smooth muscle, the reticular basement membrane and the underlying lamina propria were quantitated. 41% of COPD subjects had significant bronchodilator responsiveness, but this was not related to smooth muscle mast cell numbers. The reticular basement membrane had greater mast cell density in all groups compared with controls (p<0.01). In this compartment, perivascular mast cell density was related to hypervascularity. Lamina propria mast cell density was increased only in COPD (p<0.05). Perivascular mast cell density in the lamina propria was not related to its decreased vessel density. Bronchodilator responsiveness in COPD is not related to large airway smooth muscle mast cells of either type; both reticular basement membrane and lamina propria mast cells are increased in COPD patients, and perivascular mast cells may be involved in increased angiogenesis in the reticular basement membrane.