Mucine-1 Is Related to Cell-Mediated Immunoexpression and Blood Pressure in Pulmonary Artery in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH): Preliminary Results.

Abstract

Mucine-1 (MUC1) increases in primary lung disease; however, no data are available on pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Our aim was to analyze MUC1 in PAH and a possible link with pulmonary artery pressure (PAPs), PaO2, PaCO2 and cell-mediated immunity. We studied nine PAH patients (four males and five females, aged 52 ± 21years). The control groups were nine patients with pulmonary hypertensions due to lung disease (PPH; five males and four females, aged 63 ± 18years) and 14 patients with left heart disease (HPH; four males and ten females, aged 73 ± 13years). All underwent arterial gas analysis and echocardiography. A serum sample was collected to determine MUC1 and CD40L values on ELISA. No differences were found for PAPs and CD40L. MUC1 resulted in comparable values between PAH and HPH but decreased when compared to PPH (16.46 ± 4.12 vs 116.6 ± 47.08U/ml, p=0.049). pO2 was higher in PAH (PAH 83.18 ± 1.77 vs PPH 62.75 ± 3.23mmHg, p=0.003; vs HPH 65.83 ± 6.94mmHg, p=0.036). pCO2 was lower compared to PPH (36.15 ± 2.19 vs 45.83 ± 3.00mmHg, p=0.026) but not compared to HPH. In PAH patients the MUC1 correlated with pO2 (r=-0.91), pCO2 (r=0.80), PAPs (r=0.82) and CD40L (r=0.72) while it did not in PPH and HPH. These preliminary data show a possible mechanism of immune stimulation in PAH patients. This may imply an association between lung parenchyma, immunity and increase in vascular resistance. Additional studies are required to confirm these findings.