Lung Function In Asthma Patients Research Articles

The correlation between selenium intake and lung function in asthmatic people: a cross-sectional study.

This study aimed to examine the correlation between selenium intake and lung function in asthmatic people. A total of 4,541 individuals in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were included in this study. Multivariate linear regression, variance inflation factor, restricted cubic splines and quantile regression were used to analyze the relationship between Se intake and lung function. We divided selenium intake into four levels based on quartiles: Q1: Se ≤ 76.75 mcg/d; Q2: 76.75-105.1 mcg/d; Q3: 105.1-137.65 mcg/d; and Q4: Se ≥137.65 mcg/d. Asthma was negatively associated with the Ratio of Forced Expiratory Volume 1st Second to Forced Vital Capacity (FEV1/FVC) (β = -0.04, 95% CI: -0.06 to -0.02) and FEV1 (β = -215, 95% CI: -340 to -90). Se intake was positively associated with Forced Expiratory Volume 1st Second (FEV1) (β =3.30 95% CI: 2.60 to 4.00) and Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) (β =4.30, 95% CI: 3.50 to 5.10). In asthmatic individuals, the positive effects of Se intake on FVC were enhanced with increasing Se intake, while the positive effects of Se intake on FEV1 varied less dramatically. High Se intake (Q4 level, above 137.65 mcg/d) improved FVC (β = 353, 95% CI: 80 to 626) and FEV1 (β = 543, 95% CI: 118 to 969) in asthmatic patients compared to low Se intake (Q1 level, below 76.75 mcg/d). At the Q2 level (76.75-105.1 mcg/d) and Q4 level (Se ≥137.65 mcg/d) of Se intake, the correlation between FEV1 and asthma disappeared. Our research has revealed a positive correlation between selenium intake and lung function in asthma patients and the strength of this positive correlation is related to the amount of selenium intake. We recommend that asthma patients consume 137.65 mcg to 200 mcg of selenium daily to improve pulmonary function while avoiding the adverse effects of selenium on the human body.

Vascular endothelial growth factor induces the migration of human airway smooth muscle cells by activating the RhoA/ROCK pathway

BackgroundAirway remodeling due to increased airway smooth muscle cell (ASMC) mass, likely due to enhanced proliferation, hypertrophy, and migration, has been proven to be highly correlated with decreased lung function in asthma patients. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mediates vascular and extravascular remodeling and inflammation and has been proven to be involved in the progression of asthma. Previous studies have focused on the effects of VEGF on ASMC proliferation, but few researchers have focused on the effects of VEGF on human ASMC migration. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of VEGF on the migration of ASMCs and its related signaling pathway mechanism to provide evidence for the treatment of airway remodeling.MethodsWe examined the effects of VEGF induction on ASMC migration and explored the mechanisms involved in ASMC migration.ResultsWe found by wound healing and Transwell assays that VEGF promoted ASMC migration. Through the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) experiment, we found that VEGF had no significant effect on the proliferation of ASMCs, which excluded the involvement of cell proliferation in the process of wound healing. Moreover, a cellular immunofluorescence assay showed that VEGF promoted F-actin reorganization, and Western blotting showed that VEGF improved RhoA activation and myosin phosphatase targeting subunit-1 (MYPT1) and myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation in ASMCs. Treatment with the ROCK inhibitor Y27632 significantly attenuated the effects of VEGF on MYPT1/MLC activation and cell migration.ConclusionIn conclusion, the results suggest that the promigratory function of VEGF activates the RhoA/ROCK pathway, induces F-actin reorganization, improves the migration of ASMCs, and provides a better rationale for targeting the RhoA/ROCK pathway for therapeutic approaches in airway remodeling.

Body composition modify the association between ambient particulate matter and lung function among asthma patients.

The effect of ambient PM10 and PM2.5 on lung function modified by body muscle and adipose tissue is not fully understood at present. Our aims were to investigate the association between seasonal average air pollutants and lung function in asthmatic patients modified by body composition indicators. In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 914 doctor-diagnosed asthmatic patients, and performed interaction and stratified analysis using the median values of total body muscle (TBM), total body fat (TBF), and percentage body fat (PBF) as well as body mass index (BMI) =25 as the cutoff points of the high/low body composition groups. The adjusted R2 values of the developed LUR models of PM2.5 and PM10 were 91.4% and 90.5% and also verified by cross-validation, respectively. After adjusting for confounding factors, we found that TBM significantly modified the association between PM10 and lung function among asthma patients (interaction P value <0.05). In the low TBM group, seasonal average concentrations of PM10 estimated by the LUR model increased by 10 μg/m3, and negative associations with lung function indicators were observed. For obese patients with BMI>25 and high TBF, the increase in PM10 was associated with the decrease in lung function. The asthma patients with obesity and low total body muscle were more susceptible to adverse effects of PM10 on lung function.

Literature Review: Benefits of Balloon Blowing Breathing Exercises on Lung function in Astma Patients

Chronic inflammation that occurs in asthmatic patients results in recurrent episodic symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest tightness, coughing, and wheezing breath sounds. This indicates that there is impaired lung function which can be seen from the results of the Peak Expiratory Flow (APE) examination. The purpose of compiling a literature review is to analyze the benefits of breathing exercise therapy using the balloon blowing technique on lung function in asthma patients. The method used in this literature study is the PICOS framework. Article searches were carried out using the science database from Science Direct, Pub Med and Google Scholar. The keywords used are breathing exercises, Balloon Blowing and asthma or asthma. Results have been literature found 7 articles analyzed. A total of 5 articles discussed the effect of breathing exercises using the balloon blowing technique on lung function, namely in terms of Peak Expiratory Flow (APE) values ​​and 2 journals discussed the effect of balloon blowing on improving clinical symptoms, namely shortness of breath and increased oxygen saturation. Based on the results of the literature review, it can be concluded that the Balloon Blowing breathing exercise can be applied to asthma patients. This exercise, when performed according to correct and regular procedures, can improve lung function which can be seen from several indicators, namely increasing Peak Expiratory Flow (APE), oxygen saturation and decreasing complaints of shortness of breath.

Tollip Inhibits IL-33 Release and Inflammation in Influenza A Virus-Infected Mouse Airways

Respiratory influenza A virus (IAV) infection continues to pose significant challenges in healthcare of human diseases including asthma. IAV infection in mice was shown to increase IL-33, a key cytokine in driving airway inflammation in asthma, but how IL-33 is regulated during viral infection remains unclear. We previously found that a genetic mutation in Toll-interacting protein (Tollip) was linked to less airway epithelial Tollip expression, increased neutrophil chemokines, and lower lung function in asthma patients. As Tollip is involved in maintaining mitochondrial function, and mitochondrial stress may contribute to extracellular ATP release and IL-33 secretion, we hypothesized that Tollip downregulates IL-33 secretion via inhibiting ATP release during IAV infection. Wild-type and Tollip knockout (KO) mice were infected with IAV and treated with either an ATP converter apyrase or an IL-33 decoy receptor soluble ST2 (sST2). KO mice significantly lost more body weight and had increased extracellular ATP, IL-33 release, and neutrophilic inflammation. Apyrase treatment reduced extracellular ATP levels, IL-33 release, and neutrophilic inflammation in Tollip KO mice. Excessive lung neutrophilic inflammation in IAV-infected Tollip KO mice was reduced by sST2, which was coupled with less IL-33 release. Our data suggest that Tollip inhibits IAV infection, potentially by inhibiting extracellular ATP release and reducing IL-33 activation and lung inflammation. In addition, sST2 may serve as a potential therapeutic approach to mitigate respiratory viral infection in human subjects with Tollip deficiency.

Variability of peripheral airway resistance through impulse oscillometry in asthmatic children and adolescents / Variabilidade da resistência das vias aéreas periféricas através da oscilometria de impulso em crianças e adolescentes asmáticos

Introduction. The assessment of lung function in asthmatic patients is a procedure used for the diagnosis and monitoring of diseases. The impulse oscillometry system, a minimally invasive and collaborative method, allows the measurement through changes in resistance and reactance. The analysis of variability allows the identification of the quality and reproducibility of this method. Goal. To describe the behavior of the variability of impulse oscillometry parameters in asthmatic children and adolescents. Method. A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in the Allergy and Immunology sector of the Hospital das Clínicas of the Federal University of Pernambuco. The sample consisted of children and adolescents, of both sexes, diagnosed with asthma and rhinitis. Three measurements were taken and for each parameter the mean of the resistance values at the frequencies of 5Hz and 20Hz was calculated, and from these data the resistance of the peripheral pathways (R5-R20Hz), in addition to the elastance at 5Hz and the reactance area ( AX).. Results. Seventy children and adolescents, with 62% (43) male, and for the whole group, mean age of 11.22±3.23 years, mean weight of 44.21±16.15 kilograms and mean height of 150.28 ±17.07 centimeters. There was no significant variation in measurements between times. The measure of the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.949, demonstrating a high correlation between the analyzed moments. Conclusion. The total airway resistance is one of the most used parameters to measure alterations in the tracheobronchial tree and the verification of the variability must remain equal to or less than 15%.

Association between Vitamin D deficiency and lung function in asthma patients

Asthma is an inflammatory disorder, usually chronic, and is related to the hypersensitivity of the airways to allergens leading to dyspnoea, wheezing, cough and tightness in chest. Increased severity of asthma and poor control has been attributed to lower levels of Vitamin D levels. Blood was collected from 78 patients who were diagnosed with asthma and tested for Vitamin D levels eosinophil counts, IgE levels, and regular biochemical tests. All these patients underwent Asthma Control Test, Pulmonary Function tests for FEV1%, FVC%, FEV1/FVC%. : The serum eosinophil count, sputum eosinophil count and IgE levels were significantly higher in Vitamin D deficient patients compared to the sufficient patients. The most common severity of asthma among the patients was due to atopy as seen in 53.8% of the patients. In 39.6% of the patients who were Vit D deficient, the asthma was very severe as was the case in 8% of the Vit D sufficient people. The Forced expiratory volume, Forced vital capacity and FEV1/FVC1 was 92.69 ± 0.9 %, 91.3 ± 12.1% and 76.2 ± 8.7 in patients with deficient Vitamin D levels and 97.36 ± 1.1%, 99.1 ± 7.3% and 81.6 ± 13.1 in patients with sufficient Vit D levels respectively. There seems to be a strong association of Vitamin D levels and asthma among patients. High vitamin D levels are beneficial to the lung function and also slow the asthma exacerbations.

DUPILUMAB IMPROVES LUNG FUNCTION IN PATIENTS IRRESPECTIVE OF ON-STUDY ASTHMA EXACERBATIONS

DUPILUMAB IMPROVES LUNG FUNCTION IN PATIENTS IRRESPECTIVE OF ON-STUDY ASTHMA EXACERBATIONS

Pharmacological ablation of the airway smooth muscle layer-Mathematical predictions of functional improvement in asthma.

Airway smooth muscle (ASM) plays a major role in acute airway narrowing and reducing ASM thickness is expected to attenuate airway hyper‐responsiveness and disease burden. There are two therapeutic approaches to reduce ASM thickness: (a) a direct approach, targeting specific airways, best exemplified by bronchial thermoplasty (BT), which delivers radiofrequency energy to the airway via bronchoscope; and (b) a pharmacological approach, targeting airways more broadly. An example of the less well‐established pharmacological approach is the calcium‐channel blocker gallopamil which in a clinical trial effectively reduced ASM thickness; other agents may act similarly. In view of established anti‐proliferative properties of the macrolide antibiotic azithromycin, we examined its effects in naive mice and report a reduction in ASM thickness of 29% (p < .01). We further considered the potential functional implications of this finding, if it were to extend to humans, by way of a mathematical model of lung function in asthmatic patients which has previously been used to understand the mechanistic action of BT. Predictions show that pharmacological reduction of ASM in all airways of this magnitude would reduce ventilation heterogeneity in asthma, and produce a therapeutic benefit similar to BT. Moreover there are differences in the expected response depending on disease severity, with the pharmacological approach exceeding the benefits provided by BT in more severe disease. Findings provide further proof of concept that pharmacological targeting of ASM thickness will be beneficial and may be facilitated by azithromycin, revealing a new mode of action of an existing agent in respiratory medicine.

Meta-analysis of vitamin D and lung function in patients with asthma

BackgroundThere is growing literature suggesting a link between vitamin D and asthma lung function, but the results from systematic reviews are conflicting. We conducted this meta-analysis to investigate the relation between serum vitamin D and lung function in asthma patients.MethodsMajor databases, including OVID, MEDLINE, Web of Science and PUBMED, were searched until 10th October 2018. All published observational studies related to vitamin D and asthma were extracted. All meta-analyses were performed using Review Manager 5.3.5.ResultsThis quantitative synthesis found that asthma patients with low vitamin D levels had lower forced expiratory volume In 1 s (FEV1) (mean difference (MD) = − 0.1, 95% CI = − 0.11 to − 0.08,p < 0.01;I2 = 49%, p = 0.12) and FEV1% (MD = − 10.02, 95% CI = − 11 to − 9.04, p < 0.01; I2 = 0%, p = 0.82) than those with sufficient vitamin D levels. A positive relation was found between vitamin D and FEV1 (r = 0.12, 95% CI = 0.04 to 0.2, p = 0.003; I2 = 59%,p = 0.01), FEV1% (r = 0.19, 95% CI = 0.13 to 0.26, p < 0.001; I2 = 42%, p = 0.11), forced vital capacity (FVC) (r = 0.17, 95% CI = 0.00 to 0.34, p = 0.05; I2 = 60%, p = 0.04), FEV1/FVC (r = 0.4, 95% CI = 0.3 to 0.51, p < 0.001; I2 = 48%, p = 0.07), and the asthma control test (ACT) (r = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.2 to 0.47, p < 0.001; I2 = 0%, p = 0.7). Subgroup analysis indicated that the positive correlation between vitamin D and lung function remained significant in both children and adults.ConclusionsOur meta-analysis suggested that serum vitamin D levels may be positively correlated with lung function in asthma patients. Future comprehensive studies are required to confirm these relations and to elucidate potential mechanisms.

Cannabidiol reduces airway inflammation and fibrosis in experimental allergic asthma

Asthma is characterized by chronic lung inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness. Asthma remains a major public health problem and, at present, there are no effective interventions capable of reversing airway remodelling. Cannabidiol (CBD) is known to exert immunomodulatory effects through the activation of cannabinoid-1 and − 2 (CB1 and CB2) receptors located in the central nervous system and immune cells, respectively. However, as the role of CBD on airway remodelling and the mechanisms of CB1 and CB2 aren’t fully elucidated, this study was designed to evaluate the effects of cannabidiol in this scenario. Allergic asthma was induced in Balb/c mice exposed to ovalbumin, and respiratory mechanics, collagen fibre content in airway and alveolar septa, cytokine levels, and CB1 and CB2 expression were determined. Moreover, expressions of CB1 and CB2 in induced sputum of asthmatic individuals and their correlation with airway inflammation and lung function were also evaluated. CBD treatment, regardless of dosage, decreased airway hyperresponsiveness, whereas static lung elastance only reduced with high dose. These outcomes were accompanied by decreases in collagen fibre content in both airway and alveolar septa and the expression of markers associated with inflammation in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lung homogenate. There was a significant and inverse correlation between CB1 levels and lung function in asthmatic patients. CBD treatment decreased the inflammatory and remodelling processes in the model of allergic asthma. The mechanisms of action appear to be mediated by CB1/CB2 signalling, but these receptors may act differently on lung inflammation and remodelling.

Biomarkers associated with bronchopulmonary dysplasia/mortality in premature infants.

BackgroundBronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) portends lifelong organ impairment and death. Our ability to predict BPD in first days of life is limited, but could be enhance using novel biomarkers.MethodsUsing an available clinical and urine biomarker database obtained from a prospective 113 infant cohort (birth weight ≤1200 g and/or gestational age ≤31 weeks), we evaluated the independent association of 14 urine biomarkers with BPD/mortality.ResultsTwo of the 14 urine biomarkers were independently associated with BPD/mortality after controlling for gestational age (GA), small for gestational age (SGA), and intubation status. The best performing protein was clusterin, a ubiquitously expressed protein and potential sensor of oxidative stress associated with lung function in asthma patients. When modeling for BPD/mortality, the independent odds ratio for maximum adjusted urine clusterin was 9.2 (95% CI 3.3 - 32.8, P<0.0001). In this model, clinical variables (GA, intubation status, and SGA) explained 38.3% of variance; clusterin explained an additional 9.2%, while albumin explained an additional 3.4%. The area under the curve incorporating clinical factors and biomarkers was 0.941.ConclusionsUrine clusterin and albumin may improve our ability to predict BPD/mortality. Future studies are needed to validate these findings and determine their clinical usefulness.

Flagellin Modulates the Function of Invariant NKT Cells From Patients With Asthma via Dendritic Cells.

PurposeInvariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells play a critical role in the pathogenesis of asthma. We previously reported the association between circulating Th2-like iNKT cells and lung function in asthma patients and the suppressive effect of Toll-like receptor 5 ligand flagellin B (FlaB) on asthmatic in a mouse model. Thus, we investigated whether FlaB modulates the function of circulating iNKT cells in asthmatic patients.MethodsPeripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were treated with FlaB, and the secreted and intracellular cytokines of iNKT cells were evaluated by using ELISA and flow cytometry, respectively, following stimulation with α-galactosylceramide. Foxp3+ iNKT cells were also measured. To determine the effect of FlaB-treated dendritic cells (DCs) on iNKT cells, we co-cultured CD14+ monocyte-derived DCs and T cells from patients with house dust mite-sensitive asthma and analyzed intracellular cytokines in iNKT cells.ResultsA reduction of IL-4 and IL-17 production by iNKT cells in PBMCs after FlaB treatment was alleviated following blocking of IL-10 signaling. A decrease in the frequencies of IL-4+ and IL-17+ iNKT cells by FlaB-treated DCs was reversed after blocking of IL-10 signaling. Simultaneously, an increase in Foxp3+ iNKT cells induced by FlaB treatment disappeared after blocking of IL-10.ConclusionsFlaB may inhibit Th2- and Th17-like iNKT cells and induce Foxp3+ iNKT cells by DCs via an IL-10-dependent mechanism in asthmatic patients. In patients with a specific asthma phenotype associated with iNKT cells, FlaB may be an effective immunomodulator for iNKT cell-targeted immunotherapy.

Effects of particulate matter in ambient air on the development and control of asthma

There has been growing concern regarding the effects of ambient air pollution on asthma. Particulate matter (PM) is one of the major air pollutants affecting both general population and the patients with asthma. This paper reviews the recent evidence of the adverse effects of PM on the inception and morbidity of asthma. Epidemiological studies confirmed that short-term exposure to PM aggravated respiratory symptoms and lung function in asthma patients. Furthermore, PM induces acute exacerbations of asthma with increased risk of hospitalization and death. Long-term exposure to PM is responsible for new onset of asthma and lung function decline in both children and adults. Various mechanisms are involved in the effects of PM on airway including oxidative stress, augmentation of inflammation, promotion of allergen sensitization, induction of airway hyperresponsiveness, aggravation of rhinitis and DNA methylation. Special attention and care is needed for the patients with asthma to prevent the detrimental effects of PM. (Allergy Asthma Respir Dis 2015;3:313-319)

Tiotropium may improve asthma symptoms and lung function in asthmatic patients with irreversible airway obstruction: the real-life data.

Some patients with asthma have poorly controlled disease despite the use of high-dose inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), long-acting β2 agonists (LABAs) and antileukotrienes. The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of tiotropium as an add-on therapy to the standard treatment with high-dose ICS/LABA on asthma control and lung function in patients with severe asthma. Of the 633 asthmatic patients, 64 (10.1%) patients with severe asthma who were add-on treated at least for 3 months were evaluated. Number of exacerbations, emergency department visits, hospitalizations and lung functions of patients belonging to 12 months before starting add-on treatment were compared with those of 12 months after starting add-on treatment. The mean duration of add-on tiotropium treatment was 8.3 ± 0.5 months. For patients with severe asthma that was poorly controlled with standard combination therapy, tiotropium improved asthma control in 42.2%, decreased the number of emergency department visits in 46.9% and decreased the number of hospitalizations in 50.0% of them. The mean baseline forced expiratory volume in 1 s before add-on tiotropium was 57.5 ± 1.9% and forced vital capacity was 74.3 ± 15.6%. However, after 12 months of add-on tiotropium treatment, these rates became 65.5 ± 1.9% and 82.5 ± 15.1%, respectively. The addition of tiotropium significantly improved the percentages of the number of emergency department visits, the number of hospitalizations (P < 0.05). Our study has suggested that, for patients with poorly controlled asthma despite of the use of ICS/LABA, the addition of tiotropium to standard care may be beneficial.

ABSTRACT 488

Background and aims: Identifying genetic determinants for lung function is important in providing insight into the pathophysiology of asthma. The WNT signal pathway plays a role in lung development and in asthma pathogenesis.However whether genetic polymorphisms of Wnt signal pathway are associated with lung function in asthma patients remain unclear. Aims: We genotyped two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs, rs2929973 and rs6581612) involved in the Wnt signal pathway in a cohort of 560 Chinese Han child asthmatics. Methods: Associations between each SNP and lung function, in a baseline exam, were tested using multiple linear regression models. Results: We found that rs2929973 of the WISP1 gene was significantly associated with forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), with the G allele conferring significantly lower FEV1 values. However, the rs6581612 SNP of the WIF1 gene was not associated with differences in FEV1 values. Conclusions: We conclude that genetic variants in Wnt are associated with lung function and suggest that Wnt participates in inflammatory pathways that have an impact on the level of lung function.

Genome-wide association study identifies TH1 pathway genes associated with lung function in asthmatic patients

Recent meta-analyses of genome-wide association studies in general populations of European descent have identified 28 loci for lung function. We sought to identify novel lung function loci specifically for asthma and to confirm lung function loci identified in general populations. Genome-wide association studies of lung function (percent predicted FEV1 [ppFEV1], percent predicted forced vital capacity, and FEV1/forced vital capacity ratio) were performed in 4 white populations of European descent (n = 1544), followed by meta-analyses. Seven of 28 previously identified lung function loci (HHIP, FAM13A, THSD4, GSTCD, NOTCH4-AGER, RARB, and ZNF323) identified in general populations were confirmed at single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) levels (P < .05). Four of 32 loci (IL12A, IL12RB1, STAT4, and IRF2) associated with ppFEV1 (P < 10(-4)) belong to the TH1 or IL-12 cytokine family pathway. By using a linear additive model, these 4 TH1 pathway SNPs cumulatively explained 2.9% to 7.8% of the variance in ppFEV1 values in 4 populations (P = 3 × 10(-11)). Genetic scores of these 4 SNPs were associated with ppFEV1 values (P = 2 × 10(-7)) and the American Thoracic Society severe asthma classification (P = .005) in the Severe Asthma Research Program population. TH2 pathway genes (IL13, TSLP, IL33, and IL1RL1) conferring asthma susceptibility were not associated with lung function. Genes involved in airway structure/remodeling are associated with lung function in both general populations and asthmatic subjects. TH1 pathway genes involved in anti-virus/bacterial infection and inflammation modify lung function in asthmatic subjects. Genes associated with lung function that might affect asthma severity are distinct from those genes associated with asthma susceptibility.

Responsiveness to leukotriene D4 and methacholine for predicting efficacy of montelukast in asthma.

A lower responsiveness to leukotriene D4 (LTD4) or higher LTD4/[methacholine (MCh)] potency ratio might suggest preferable outcomes of short-term montelukast monotherapy in terms of airway inflammation and lung function in asthmatic patients.

Genetic variations in the Wnt signaling pathway affect lung function in asthma patients

Identifying genetic determinants for lung function is important in providing insight into the pathophysiology of asthma. The Wnt signal pathway plays a role in lung development and in asthma pathogenesis. However, whether genetic polymorphisms of Wnt signal pathway are associated with lung function in asthma patients remain unclear. We genotyped 2 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs, rs2929973 and rs6581612) involved in the Wnt signal pathway in a cohort of 560 Chinese Han asthmatic children. Associations between each SNP and lung function, in a baseline exam, were tested using multiple linear regression models. We found that rs2929973 of the WISP1 gene was significantly associated with forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), with the G allele conferring significantly lower FEV1 values. However, the rs6581612 SNP of the WIF1 gene was not associated with differences in FEV1 values. We conclude that genetic variants in Wnt are associated with lung function and suggest that Wnt participates in inflammatory pathways that have an impact on the level of lung function.

Role of certain trace minerals in oxidative stress, inflammation, CD4/CD8 lymphocyte ratios and lung function in asthmatic patients

Asthma is associated with increased inflammation, oxidative stress and abnormal immune system function. We determined the distributions of several essential trace minerals and assessed their relationships to factors that are associated with the pathophysiological status of patients with mild/moderate asthma. We enrolled 25 asthmatic patients and 25 healthy subjects. We measured: blood trace minerals, zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) and selenium (Se); oxidative stress markers thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS); antioxidant enzyme activities; percentages of CD4 and CD8 lymphocyte subsets; high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP); and a lung function index (FEV1/FVC%). Compared with healthy subjects, asthmatics had lower concentrations of Zn and Se; higher Cu concentrations, and Cu/Zn and Cu/Se ratios; and lower antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR) and catalase activities. Significantly increased concentrations of hs-CRP, TBARS and CD4/CD8 lymphocyte ratios were also observed. Furthermore, plasma TBARS or hs-CRP concentrations were negatively associated with Se concentrations, but were positively associated with Cu/Se ratios. CD4/CD8 lymphocyte ratios were inversely correlated with Se, while it was positively correlated with Cu/Se ratio. FEV1/FVC% was also significantly correlated with Se concentrations, and Cu/Se and Cu/Zn ratios. Abnormal distributions of these trace minerals may aggravate oxidative damage and inflammation, increased CD4/CD8 lymphocyte ratios and decreased lung function in asthma.