Expression and clinical significance of serum hypoxia-inducible factor-1α and transforming growth factor-β1 in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Abstract

Objective To investigate the changes and significance of serum hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Methods Twenty-eight patients with IPF who were diagnosed and treated in the Department of Respiratory Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College from April 2018 to April 2019 were selected as IPF group.28 healthy subjects who underwent routine physical examination at the same time were selected as the control group.The levels of serum HIF-1α and TGF-β1 in IPF group and control group were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.Correlation analysis of serum HIF-1α and TGF-β1 with lung function, dyspnea score and high resolution computed tomography score was performed. Results Compared with the control group, the levels of serum HIF-1α and TGF-β1 were significantly increased in the IPF group (all P<0.05). The levels of serum HIF-1α and TGF-β1 in patients with IPF were negatively correlated with forced vital capacity, total lung capacity, percentage of forced expiratory volume in the first second in the expected value, and percentage of carbon monoxide diffusing capacity in the expected value (all P<0.05), and positively correlated with modified British medical research council score and chest high resolution computed tomography score (all P<0.05). Conclusions The levels of serum HIF-1α and TGF-β1 can be used as indicators to judge the severity of IPF and evaluate the therapeutic effect. Key words: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis; Hypoxia-inducible factor 1, alpha subunit; Transforming growth factor-β1