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Stem Cells: a Recapitulation of Development.

Respirology. 2013 Aug 29;

Authors: Moodley Y, Thompson P, Warburton D

Abstract
Pluripotent stem cells are cells that can differentiate into any tissue from all germ layers and include embryonic stem cells (ESC) and induced pluripotent cells (iPS). ESC are derived from 8 day blastocysts obtained from unutilized embryos following in vitro fertilization while iPS is obtained following transfection of dermal fibroblasts with pluripotent genes (Sox 2, KLF4, OCT 4 and c-myc). The major challenge is to differentiate these cells into lung epithelium for therapeutic applications as well as to model lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis. In this review, we examine the developmental pathways of the lung and how these pathways have been recapitulated in vitro to induce differentiation of pluripotent cells to lung epithelium.

PMID: 24033442 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Exhaled hydrogen sulfide in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and its correlation with exhaled nitric oxide.

Chin Med J (Engl). 2013 Sep;126(17):3240-4

Authors: Sun Y, Wang XM, Chen YH, Zhu RX, Liao CC

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Exhaled nitric oxide (NO) is a noninvasive biomarker of airway inflammation in pulmonary diseases. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), as the third member of the gasotransmitter family, is involved in the pathophysiological process in lung diseases. H2S also exists in exhaled breath and can be sampled non-invasively. The study investigated the level of exhaled H2S in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and its correlation with exhaled NO.
METHODS: Levels of exhaled NO and H2S, lung function, and cell differential counts in induced sputum were studied in 19 patients with acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD), 19 patients with stable COPD and seven healthy smoke controls.
RESULTS: Exhaled H2S levels were similar in patients with AECOPD (10.0 parts per billion (ppb), 8.0-13.0 ppb), stable COPD (10.0 ppb, 9.0-12.0 ppb), and healthy controls (9.0 ppb, 8.0-16.0 ppb) (P > 0.05). Exhaled NO levels were similar in patients with AECOPD (155.0 ppb, 129.0-190.0 ppb), stable COPD (154.0 ppb, 133.0-175.0 ppb) and healthy controls (165.0 ppb, 112.0-188.0 ppb) (P > 0.05). Exhaled H2S levels correlated positively with exhaled NO in all healthy controls and patients with COPD (r=0.467, P < 0.01). No significant correlation was found between the exhaled H2S level and percentage of predicted FEV1 (P > 0.05) and proportion of different cell types in induced sputum (P > 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: There is a correlation between exhaled H2S and exhaled NO. The role of exhaled H2S in airway inflammation in COPD still needs further investigation.

PMID: 24033943 [PubMed - in process]

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Emerging Role of Oxidative Stress in Metabolic Syndrome and Cardiovascular Diseases: Important Role of Rac/NADPH Oxidase.

J Pathol. 2013 Sep 5;

Authors: Elnakish MT, Hassanain HH, L Janssen PM, Angelos MG, Khan M

Abstract
Oxidative stress is a term defining states of elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Normally, ROS control several physiological processes such as host defense, biosynthesis of hormones, fertilization, and cellular signaling. However, oxidative stress has been involved in different pathologies including metabolic syndrome and numerous cardiovascular diseases. A major source of ROS involved in both metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular pathophysiology is the NADPH oxidase (NOX) family of enzymes. NOX is a multi-component enzyme complex that consists of membrane-bound cytochrome b-558, which is a heterodimer of gp91phox and p22phox, cytosolic regulatory subunits p47phox and p67phox, and the small GTP-binding protein Rac1. Rac1 plays many important biological functions in cells, but perhaps the most unique function of Rac1 is its ability to bind and activate the NOX complex. Furthermore, Rac1 has been reported to be a key regulator of oxidative stress through its co-regulatory effects on both nitric oxide (NO) synthase and NOX. Therefore, the main goal of this review is to give a brief outline about the important role of Rac1/NOX axis in the pathophysiology of both metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease.

PMID: 24037780 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Pulmonary function, chronic respiratory symptoms, and health-related quality of life among adults in the United States -- National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007--2010.

BMC Public Health. 2013 Sep 17;13(1):854

Authors: Wheaton AG, Ford ES, Thompson WW, Greenlund KJ, Presley-Cantrell LR, Croft JB

Abstract
BACKGROUND: We examined the association of impaired lung function and respiratory symptoms with measures of health status and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among US adults.
METHODS: The sample included 5139 participants aged 40--79 years in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007--2010 who underwent spirometric testing and responded to questions about respiratory symptoms, health status, and number of physically unhealthy, mentally unhealthy, or activity limitation days in the prior 30 days.
RESULTS: Among these adults, 7.2% had restrictive impairment (FEV1/FVC >= 70%; FVC < 80% of predicted), 10.9% had mild obstruction (FEV1/FVC < 70%; FEV1 >= 80% predicted), and 9.0% had moderate--severe obstruction (FEV1/FVC < 70%; FEV1 < 80% predicted). Individuals with restrictive impairment or moderate--severe obstruction were more likely to report fair/poor health compared to those with normal lung function (prevalence ratio (PR) =1.5 [95% CI: 1.2-1.9] and 1.5 [1.3-1.8]), after controlling for sociodemographics, non-respiratory chronic diseases, body mass index, smoking, and respiratory symptoms. Frequent mental distress (FMD; >=14 mentally unhealthy days), frequent physical distress (FPD; >=14 physically unhealthy days), and frequent activity limitation (FAL; >=14 activity limitation days) did not differ by lung function status. Adults who reported any respiratory symptoms (frequent cough, frequent phlegm, or past year wheeze) were more likely to report fair/poor health (PR = 1.5 [1.3-1.7]), FPD (PR = 1.6 [1.4-1.9]), FMD (PR = 1.8 [1.4-2.2]), and FAL (PR = 1.4 [1.1-1.9]) than those with no symptoms.
CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest the importance of chronic respiratory symptoms as potential risk factors for poor HRQOL and suggest improved symptom treatment and prevention efforts would likely improve HRQOL.

PMID: 24040892 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]