Biomaterial Database

Lymphocytes, chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. 2001

P K Jeffery

Lung Pathology Unit (Department of Gene Therapy), Imperial College School of Medicine, Royal Brompton Hospital, Sydney Street, London SW3 6NP, UK.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CD8)- and macrophage (CD68)-predominant chronic inflammatory disorder of the conducting airways and alveoli. This is often associated with a neutrophilia, inflammation of small airways and destruction of tissue beyond the terminal bronchiolus, i.e. emphysema. In contrast, asthma is a helper T cell (CD4; type 2)-predominant chronic inflammatory disorder of the conducting airways in which there is T lymphocyte-derived gene expression for interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5 but not interferon gamma. There is fragility of airway surface epithelium, thickening of the reticular basement membrane, bronchial vessel congestion and (when severe) an increase in the mass of bronchial smooth muscle. This is usually (but not always) associated with tissue and peripheral blood eosinophilia rather than a neutrophilia and there is exudative plugging of the airways. These differences of inflammatory profile, remodelling and lung function are seen when smokers with COPD are compared with non-smoking mild asthmatics. However there may be important similarities and overlap, particularly in more severe asthma when neutrophils predominate and in the older and or smoking asthmatic when reversibility of airflow is less obvious. We have recently demonstrated gene expression for IL-4 and IL-5 in and around the mucus-secreting glands of airways resected from smokers without a history of asthma. Also exacerbations of bronchitis may be associated with a tissue eosinophilia. On examination of bronchial biopsies from these patients we show surprisingly strong gene expression for IL-4, IL-5 and even human eotaxin and RANTES (regulated on activation normal T cell expressed and secreted). Whilst CD4 T lymphocytes of the Th2 phenotype might be expressing these cytokines in bronchitis, CD8 T lymphocytes are also capable of secreting IL-4 and IL-5. Viruses may modulate these changes in distinct lymphocyte functional phenotypes. The relevance and importance of CD4/CD8 T lymphocyte ratio to the development of COPD is discussed.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008173	Lung Diseases, Obstructive	Any disorder marked by obstruction of conducting airways of the lung. AIRWAY OBSTRUCTION may be acute, chronic, intermittent, or persistent.	Obstructive Lung Diseases,Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases,Lung Disease, Obstructive,Obstructive Lung Disease,Obstructive Pulmonary Disease,Pulmonary Disease, Obstructive,Pulmonary Diseases, Obstructive
D001991	Bronchitis	Inflammation of the large airways in the lung including any part of the BRONCHI, from the PRIMARY BRONCHI to the TERTIARY BRONCHI.	Bronchitides
D004804	Eosinophils	Granular leukocytes with a nucleus that usually has two lobes connected by a slender thread of chromatin, and cytoplasm containing coarse, round granules that are uniform in size and stainable by eosin.	Eosinophil
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001249	Asthma	A form of bronchial disorder with three distinct components: airway hyper-responsiveness (RESPIRATORY HYPERSENSITIVITY), airway INFLAMMATION, and intermittent AIRWAY OBSTRUCTION. It is characterized by spasmodic contraction of airway smooth muscle, WHEEZING, and dyspnea (DYSPNEA, PAROXYSMAL).	Asthma, Bronchial,Bronchial Asthma,Asthmas
D015496	CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes	A critical subpopulation of T-lymphocytes involved in the induction of most immunological functions. The HIV virus has selective tropism for the T4 cell which expresses the CD4 phenotypic marker, a receptor for HIV. In fact, the key element in the profound immunosuppression seen in HIV infection is the depletion of this subset of T-lymphocytes.	T4 Cells,T4 Lymphocytes,CD4-Positive Lymphocytes,CD4 Positive T Lymphocytes,CD4-Positive Lymphocyte,CD4-Positive T-Lymphocyte,Lymphocyte, CD4-Positive,Lymphocytes, CD4-Positive,T-Lymphocyte, CD4-Positive,T-Lymphocytes, CD4-Positive,T4 Cell,T4 Lymphocyte
D016131	Lymphocyte Subsets	A classification of lymphocytes based on structurally or functionally different populations of cells.	Lymphocyte Subpopulations,Lymphocyte Subpopulation,Lymphocyte Subset,Subpopulation, Lymphocyte,Subpopulations, Lymphocyte,Subset, Lymphocyte,Subsets, Lymphocyte
D016207	Cytokines	Non-antibody proteins secreted by inflammatory leukocytes and some non-leukocytic cells, that act as intercellular mediators. They differ from classical hormones in that they are produced by a number of tissue or cell types rather than by specialized glands. They generally act locally in a paracrine or autocrine rather than endocrine manner.	Cytokine
D018414	CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes	A critical subpopulation of regulatory T-lymphocytes involved in MHC Class I-restricted interactions. They include both cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (T-LYMPHOCYTES, CYTOTOXIC) and CD8+ suppressor T-lymphocytes.	Suppressor T-Lymphocytes, CD8-Positive,T8 Cells,T8 Lymphocytes,CD8-Positive Lymphocytes,Suppressor T-Cells, CD8-Positive,CD8 Positive Lymphocytes,CD8 Positive T Lymphocytes,CD8-Positive Lymphocyte,CD8-Positive Suppressor T-Cell,CD8-Positive Suppressor T-Cells,CD8-Positive Suppressor T-Lymphocyte,CD8-Positive Suppressor T-Lymphocytes,CD8-Positive T-Lymphocyte,Cell, T8,Cells, T8,Lymphocyte, CD8-Positive,Lymphocyte, T8,Lymphocytes, CD8-Positive,Lymphocytes, T8,Suppressor T Cells, CD8 Positive,Suppressor T Lymphocytes, CD8 Positive,Suppressor T-Cell, CD8-Positive,Suppressor T-Lymphocyte, CD8-Positive,T-Cell, CD8-Positive Suppressor,T-Cells, CD8-Positive Suppressor,T-Lymphocyte, CD8-Positive,T-Lymphocyte, CD8-Positive Suppressor,T-Lymphocytes, CD8-Positive,T-Lymphocytes, CD8-Positive Suppressor,T8 Cell,T8 Lymphocyte