Abstract
BackgroundIt has been reported that B cell activating factor belonging to the tumor necrosis factor family (BAFF) expression is increased in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However its role in this chronic inflammatory disease is not fully understood. Previous studies have suggested that BAFF also affects T cell function. We therefore investigated the effects of BAFF on T lymphocytes in COPD.MethodsBAFF was detected in the cells of sputum and the plasma. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from COPD patients and treated with BAFF or BAFF plus BR3-Fc (BAFF antagonist). The apoptosis of CD4+ cells and CD8+ cells was analyzed by flow cytometry. CD4+ cells and CD8+ cells were isolated from peripheral blood of COPD patients respectively and treated with BAFF or BAFF plus BR3-Fc. Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) were detected in the CD4+ cells, and perforin and granzyme B were detected in the CD8+ cells.ResultsBAFF expression was increased in the cells of sputum and the plasma from COPD patients compared with control subjects. The plasma BAFF levels were inversely correlated with FEV1 percentage of predicted in patients with COPD. BAFF did not significantly alter the apoptosis of CD4+ cells, however it significantly inhibited the apoptosis of CD8+ cells from COPD patients. BAFF increased IFN-γ expression in the CD4+ cells from COPD patients, while it did not significantly alter the expresson of IL-4 in these cells. BAFF increased the expression of perforin and granzyme B in the CD8+ cells from COPD patients.ConclusionsOur findings indicate that BAFF may be involved in the inflammatory response in COPD via affecting T lymphocytes, suggesting a possible role of BAFF in the pathogenesis of COPD.
Highlights
It has been reported that B cell activating factor belonging to the tumor necrosis factor family (BAFF) expression is increased in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
B cell activating factor belonging to the tumor necrosis factor family (BAFF) is an important cytokine for B cell survival and maturation [8], which is expressed by many cell types including macrophages, dendritic cells and epithelial cells [9]
We show that BAFF expression in the cells of sputum from COPD patients is increased compared with smokers and nonsmokers, which is consistent with the findings of previous clinical studies [12, 13]
Summary
It has been reported that B cell activating factor belonging to the tumor necrosis factor family (BAFF) expression is increased in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common disease characterized by persistent respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation, which is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide [1]. The pathological changes observed in COPD include chronic inflammation and structural changes with increased numbers of specific inflammatory cell types in different parts of the lung [4]. Previous studies have shown that the number of pulmonary CD8+ T cells in COPD increases substantially with higher stages of airflow limitation, and reduced apoptosis of CD8+ cells may contribute to the accumulation of these cells in the lung [5]. CD8+ T cells release proteolytic enzymes such as perforin and granzymes, which cause cell death of structural cells by apoptosis or necrosis [6].
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