Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:6.2.1.7 (BAL)
 1,977 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Macrophages and monocytes play important proinflammatory roles in allergic inflammation. We hypothesized that these cells would express an activated phenotype in allergic disease of the airways. We therefore compared the expression of 17 activation markers on the surface of alveolar macrophages (AM) and peripheral blood monocytes (PBM) in 13 subjects with asymptomatic allergic asthma (AA), nine subjects with asymptomatic allergic rhinitis (AR), and 11 nonallergic (N). AM were obtained by BAL, and PBM were simultaneously obtained by phlebotomy; both were analyzed for expression of surface markers using a new two-color flow cytometry method that essentially eliminates background autofluorescence. The proportions of AM in BAL fluid from AA, AR, and N subjects were 84 +/- 2, 85 +/- 4, and 91 +/- 1%, respectively; viability always exceeded 92%. Expression of eight markers (CD16, CD18, CD32, CD44, CD71, HLA Class I, HLA DR, and HLA DQ) was significantly (p < 0.05) higher on AM of AA than on N; expression of six markers (CD11a, CD16, CD18, CD71, HLA Class I, and HLA DR) was higher on AM of AR than on N, with differences in CD44 levels approaching statistical significance (p = 0.07). Expression of one marker, CD44, was significantly higher on AM of AA than on those of AR, with differences in HLA Class I levels approaching statistical significance (p = 0.07). In contrast, no significant differences were found among the three groups in the expression in eight other markers (CD11b, CD14, CD23, CD29, CD33, CD35, CD63, and CD64). Finally, similar analysis of PBM from these same subjects failed to find any difference between the three groups in any of the 17 activation markers studied. These data suggest that AM are activated in allergic respiratory diseases, and that levels of HLA Class I and CD44 on AM are altered during allergic inflammation in the upper and lower airways.
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PMID:Phenotypic analysis of alveolar macrophages and monocytes in allergic airway inflammation. I. Evidence for activation of alveolar macrophages, but not peripheral blood monocytes, in subjects with allergic rhinitis and asthma. 911 17

Rationale: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a devastating progressive disease with limited therapeutic options. Airway macrophages (AMs) are key components of the defense of the airways and are implicated in the pathogenesis of IPF. Alterations in iron metabolism have been described during fibrotic lung disease and in murine models of lung fibrosis. However, the role of transferrin receptor 1 (CD71)-expressing AMs in IPF is not known. Objectives: To assess the role of CD71-expressing AMs in the IPF lung. Methods: We used multiparametric flow cytometry, gene expression analysis, and phagocytosis/transferrin uptake assays to delineate the role of AMs expressing or lacking CD71 in the BAL of patients with IPF and of healthy control subjects. Measurements and Main Results: There was a distinct increase in proportions of AMs lacking CD71 in patients with IPF compared with healthy control subjects. Concentrations of BAL transferrin were enhanced in IPF-BAL, and furthermore, CD71- AMs had an impaired ability to sequester transferrin. CD71+ and CD71- AMs were phenotypically, functionally, and transcriptionally distinct, with CD71- AMs characterized by reduced expression of markers of macrophage maturity, impaired phagocytosis, and enhanced expression of profibrotic genes. Importantly, proportions of AMs lacking CD71 were independently associated with worse survival, underlining the importance of this population in IPF and as a potential therapeutic target. Conclusions: Taken together, these data highlight how CD71 delineates AM subsets that play distinct roles in IPF and furthermore show that CD71- AMs may be an important pathogenic component of fibrotic lung disease.
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PMID:The Transferrin Receptor CD71 Delineates Functionally Distinct Airway Macrophage Subsets during Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. 3134 21