Novel reagents for the diagnosis of mucin composition in chronic inflammatory airway diseases

Abstract

In chronic inflammatory airway diseases the composition and glycosylation pattern of airway mucins appear to vary depending on certain disease features. In COPD, the ratio of the two major airway mucins MUC5AC and MUC5B is altered compared to healthy individuals. Furthermore, changes in the carbohydrate pattern of mucus were reported during exacerbation and airway infections of cystic fibrosis patients and after induction of experimental asthma in animal models. These findings suggest that the analysis of mucin composition and glycosylation in patient samples may provide a valuable tool for the diagnosis and monitoring of inflammatory airway disorders but would require the direct and quantitative capturing of mucins from patient samples, independently of their glycosylation or disease status.