RESUMO
Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with increased risk of severe COVID-19, but the mechanisms are unclear. Besides, patients with severe COVID-19 have been reported to have increased levels of several immune mediators. Methods: Ninety-two proteins were quantified in 315 plasma samples from 118 asthmatics, 99 COPD patients and 98 healthy controls (age 40-90 years), who were recruited in Colombia before the COVID-19 pandemic. Protein levels were compared between each disease group and healthy controls. Significant proteins were compared to the gene signatures of SARS-CoV-2 infection reported in the "COVID-19 Drug and Gene Set Library" and with experimentally tested protein biomarkers of severe COVID-19. Results: Forty-one plasma proteins showed differences between patients and controls. Asthmatic patients have increased levels in IL-6 while COPD patients have a broader systemic inflammatory dysregulation driven by HGF, OPG, and several chemokines (CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11, CX3CL1, CXCL1, MCP-3, MCP-4, CCL3, CCL4 and CCL11). These proteins are involved in chemokine signaling pathways related with response to viral infections and some, were found up-regulated upon SARS-CoV-2 experimental infection of Calu-3 cells as reported in the COVID-19 Related Gene Sets database. An increase of HPG, CXCL9, CXCL10, IL-6, MCP-3, TNF and EN-RAGE has also been experimentally detected in patients with severe COVID-19. Conclusions: COPD patients have altered levels of plasma proteins that have been reported increased in patients with severe COVID-19. Our study suggests that COPD patients have a systemic dysregulation in chemokine networks (including HGF and CXCL9) that could make them more susceptible to severe COVID-19. Also, that IL-6 levels are increased in some asthmatic patients (especially in females) and this may influence their response to COVID-19. The findings in this study depict a novel panel of inflammatory plasma proteins in COPD patients that may potentially associate with increased susceptibility to severe COVID-19 and might be useful as a biomarker signature after future experimental validation.
Assuntos
Asma/imunologia , COVID-19/imunologia , Mediadores da Inflamação/sangue , Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crônica/imunologia , SARS-CoV-2/fisiologia , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Asma/diagnóstico , Biomarcadores/sangue , COVID-19/diagnóstico , Quimiocina CXCL9/sangue , Feminino , Fator de Crescimento de Hepatócito/sangue , Humanos , Interleucina-6/sangue , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crônica/diagnóstico , Índice de Gravidade de Doença , Regulação para CimaRESUMO
The immune status of women changes during and after pregnancy, differs between blood compartments at delivery and is affected by environmental factors particularly in tropical areas endemic for multiple infections. We quantified the plasma concentration of a set of thirty-one TH1, TH2, TH17 and regulatory cytokines, pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, and growth factors (altogether biomarkers), in a cohort of 540 pregnant women from five malaria-endemic tropical countries. Samples were collected at recruitment (first antenatal visit), delivery (periphery, cord and placenta) and postpartum, allowing a longitudinal analysis. We found the lowest concentration of biomarkers at recruitment and the highest at postpartum, with few exceptions. Among them, IL-6, HGF and TGF-ß had the highest levels at delivery, and even higher concentrations in the placenta compared to peripheral blood. Placental concentrations were generally higher than peripheral, except for eotaxin that was lower. We also compared plasma biomarker concentrations between the tropical cohort and a control group from Spain at delivery, presenting overall higher biomarker levels the tropical cohort, particularly pro-inflammatory cytokines and growth factors. Only IL-6 presented lower levels in the tropical group. Moreover, a principal component analysis of biomarker concentrations at delivery showed that women from Spain grouped more homogenously, and that IL-6 and IL-8 clustered together in the tropical cohort but not in the Spanish one. Plasma cytokine concentrations correlated with Plasmodium antibody levels at postpartum but not during pregnancy. This basal profiling of immune mediators over gestation and in different compartments at delivery is important to subsequently understand response to infections and clinical outcomes in mothers and infants in tropical areas.
Assuntos
Quimiocinas/sangue , Citocinas/sangue , Peptídeos e Proteínas de Sinalização Intercelular/sangue , Malária/sangue , Malária/imunologia , Plasmodium/imunologia , Complicações Parasitárias na Gravidez/sangue , Adulto , Brasil/epidemiologia , Estudos de Coortes , Colômbia/epidemiologia , Feminino , Guatemala/epidemiologia , Fator de Crescimento de Hepatócito/sangue , Humanos , Imunoglobulina G/imunologia , Índia/epidemiologia , Interleucina-6/sangue , Interleucina-8/sangue , Malária/parasitologia , Papua Nova Guiné/epidemiologia , Placenta/metabolismo , Gravidez , Gestantes , Espanha , Fator de Crescimento Transformador beta/sangueRESUMO
Acute pancreatitis is a multifactorial disease associated with profound changes of the pancreas induced by release of digestive enzymes that lead to increase in proinflammatory cytokine production, excessive tissue necrosis, edema, and bleeding. Elevated levels of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its receptor c-Met have been observed in different chronic and acute pancreatic diseases including experimental models of acute pancreatitis. In the present study, we investigated the protective effects induced by the recombinant human HGF in a mouse model of cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis. Pancreatitis was induced by 8 hourly administrations of supramaximal cerulein injections (50 µg/kg, ip). HGF treatment (20 µg/kg, iv), significantly attenuated lipase content and amylase activity in serum as well as the degree inflammation and edema overall leading to less severe histologic changes such as necrosis, induced by cerulein. Protective effects of HGF were associated with activation of pro-survival pathways such as Akt, Erk1/2, and Nrf2 and increase in executor survival-related proteins and decrease in pro-apoptotic proteins. In addition, ROS content and lipid peroxidation were diminished, and glutathione synthesis increased in pancreas. Systemic protection was observed by lung histology. In conclusion, our data indicate that HGF exerts an Nrf2 and glutathione-mediated protective effect on acute pancreatitis reflected by a reduction in inflammation, edema, and oxidative stress.
Assuntos
Fator de Crescimento de Hepatócito/uso terapêutico , Pancreatite/tratamento farmacológico , Substâncias Protetoras/uso terapêutico , Proteínas Recombinantes/uso terapêutico , Animais , Antioxidantes/metabolismo , Apoptose/efeitos dos fármacos , Ceruletídeo , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Glutationa/biossíntese , Fator de Crescimento de Hepatócito/sangue , Fator de Crescimento de Hepatócito/farmacologia , Humanos , Masculino , Camundongos , Estresse Oxidativo/efeitos dos fármacos , Pancreatite/patologia , Substâncias Protetoras/farmacologia , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-met/metabolismo , Proteínas Recombinantes/farmacologia , Transdução de Sinais/efeitos dos fármacos , Análise de SobrevidaRESUMO
Plasma lipids have been extensively studied in sedentary and in subjects practicing exercise training, but not in extreme inactivity as occurs in bedridden patients. This is important for the care of bedridden patients and understanding the overall plasma lipid regulation. Here, we investigated plasma lipids, lipid transfers to HDL and inflammatory markers in bedridden patients. Fasting blood samples were collected from 23 clinically stable bedridden patients under long-term care (>90 days) and 26 normolipidemic sedentary subjects, paired for age and gender. In vitro transfer of four lipids to HDL was performed by incubating plasma with donor nanoparticles containing radioactive lipids. Total (193 ± 36 vs 160 ± 43, p = 0.005), LDL (124 ± 3 vs 96 ± 33 p = 0.003) and HDL-cholesterol (45 ± 10 vs 36 ± 13, p = 0.008), apolipoprotein A-I (134 ± 20 vs 111 ± 24, p = 0.001) and oxidized LDL (53 ± 13 vs 43 ± 12, p = 0.011) were lower in bedridden patients, whereas triglycerides, apolipoprotein B, CETP and LCAT were equal in both groups. Transfers of all lipids, namely unesterified cholesterol, cholesterol esters, triglycerides and phospholipids, to HDL were lower in bedridden patients, probably due to their lower HDL-cholesterol levels. Concentrations of IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, HGF and NGF were higher in bedridden patients compared to sedentary subjects. In conclusion, inactivity had great impact on HDL, by lowering HDL-cholesterol, apolipoprotein A-I and thereby cholesterol transfers to the lipoprotein, which suggests that inactivity may deteriorate HDL protection beyond the ordinary sedentary condition.
Assuntos
Apolipoproteína A-I/análise , Biomarcadores/sangue , HDL-Colesterol/sangue , Inflamação/metabolismo , Lipoproteínas LDL/análise , Adulto , Apolipoproteína A-I/sangue , Pessoas Acamadas , Ésteres do Colesterol , Feminino , Fator de Crescimento de Hepatócito/sangue , Humanos , Interleucina-6/sangue , Interleucina-8/sangue , Lipídeos/sangue , Lipoproteínas LDL/sangue , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Fator de Crescimento Neural/sangue , Comportamento SedentárioRESUMO
This exploratory study was carried out to determine the expression levels of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), insulin-like growth factor 1, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and leptin in serum and tumor samples from patients with uveal melanoma and to investigate the potential association of these expression levels with disease progression and patient survival. Seventeen patients, including nine nonmetastatic and eight metastatic, were included in the study. Eighteen healthy individuals served as controls. The levels of these four proteins in serum and tissue samples were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and immunohistochemical staining, respectively. Associations between protein levels and survival, disease progression, and other clinicopathological factors were analyzed statistically. Serum levels of HGF were significantly higher and TSH levels were lower in uveal melanoma patients than in healthy individuals, but the level of neither protein differed significantly between metastatic and nonmetastatic groups. Of the four proteins tested, only serum TSH was significantly associated with patient survival. No correlation was observed between the tissue and serum levels of each protein. The levels of HGF in serum may be markers of uveal melanoma development. The prognostic and predictive values of these potential markers need to be determined in a larger cohort.
Assuntos
Fator de Crescimento de Hepatócito/sangue , Fator de Crescimento Insulin-Like I/metabolismo , Leptina/sangue , Melanoma/sangue , Tireotropina/sangue , Neoplasias Uveais/sangue , Adulto , Idoso , Biomarcadores Tumorais/sangue , Progressão da Doença , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Melanoma/secundário , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Taxa de Sobrevida , Neoplasias Uveais/patologiaRESUMO
OBJECTIVES: We aimed to identify the association of carotid atherosclerosis with the traditional risk factors, disease features, cytokine profile, and calprotectin in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). METHODS: 63 primary pSS patients and 63 age- and sex-matched healthy controls underwent carotid ultrasound, clinical and laboratory examination. The presence of carotid plaques was taken as carotid atherosclerosis. The covariates of carotid atherosclerosis were identified in univariate and multivariate regressions. RESULTS: Patients with pSS had higher prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis (13% vs. 2%, p<0.05) and higher serum levels of calprotectin, tumour necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNF-R2), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) than controls. Sex, menopause, and the prevalence of traditional cardiovascular did not differ between groups (all p>0.05). In univariate analyses, serum calprotectin, most traditional cardiovascular (age, male sex, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, hypertriglyceridaemia, and serum creatinine), and some disease-associated risk factors (glucocorticoid or saliva substitute use, constitutional domain of Eular-Sjögren's syndrome disease activity index - EULAR) were associated with a higher risk for plaque. In a multivariate analysis, having pSS and higher serum calprotectin were associated with carotid atherosclerosis independent of traditional risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: pSS have a higher prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis, which is associated with higher serum calprotectin level independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Our findings suggest calprotectin as a biomarker of subclinical atherosclerosis in pSS.
Assuntos
Aterosclerose/diagnóstico , Doenças das Artérias Carótidas/diagnóstico , Complexo Antígeno L1 Leucocitário/sangue , Síndrome de Sjogren/complicações , Adulto , Aterosclerose/sangue , Aterosclerose/complicações , Biomarcadores/sangue , Doenças das Artérias Carótidas/sangue , Doenças das Artérias Carótidas/complicações , Quimiocina CCL2/sangue , Feminino , Fator de Crescimento de Hepatócito/sangue , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Receptores Tipo II do Fator de Necrose Tumoral/sangue , Índice de Gravidade de Doença , Síndrome de Sjogren/sangueRESUMO
Cytokeratins are thought to play a role in apoptosis. Cytokeratin 18 (CK18) is involved in the formation of intracellular cytoskeleton, and has been considered a promising apoptosis marker in gastrointestinal carcinomas. Growth factors, including hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), may provide a microenvironment for malignant cells. In this study, we aimed to compare serum HGF and CK18 levels between esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients and healthy controls. The study included 41 adult patients (20 male, 21 female) diagnosed with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, with a mean age of 63.54 ± 10.88 years (range, 41-82 years). We also recruited 39 age and gender-matched healthy control subjects. Venous blood samples were taken; serum HGF and CK18 concentrations were determined via ELISA. Results indicated that serum HGF levels were higher in patients (1.37 ± 0.63 ng/mL) as compared to the healthy subjects (0.41 ± 0.29 ng/mL). Similarly, serum CK18 levels were higher in the patient group (2.53 ± 1.33 ng/mL) than in the control group (0.34 ± 0.23 ng/mL) (P < 0.001). In addition, serum HGF and CK18 levels were positively correlated with metastasis stage, tumor stage, and disease stage of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. To our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate serum HGF and CK18 levels in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. The results suggest that serum CK18 and HGF levels may be used as prognostic and disease monitoring biomarkers of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
Assuntos
Biomarcadores Tumorais/genética , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/diagnóstico , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/genética , Neoplasias Esofágicas/diagnóstico , Neoplasias Esofágicas/genética , Fator de Crescimento de Hepatócito/genética , Queratina-18/genética , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Biomarcadores Tumorais/sangue , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/sangue , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/patologia , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Neoplasias Esofágicas/sangue , Neoplasias Esofágicas/patologia , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas do Esôfago , Feminino , Expressão Gênica , Fator de Crescimento de Hepatócito/sangue , Humanos , Queratina-18/sangue , Metástase Linfática , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Estadiamento de Neoplasias , Microambiente Tumoral/genéticaRESUMO
Cholesterol overload in the liver has shown toxic effects by inducing the aggravation of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease to steatohepatitis and sensitizing to damage. Although the mechanism of damage is complex, it has been demonstrated that oxidative stress plays a prominent role in the process. In addition, we have proved that hepatocyte growth factor induces an antioxidant response in hepatic cells; in the present work we aimed to figure out the protective effect of this growth factor in hepatocytes overloaded with free cholesterol. Hepatocytes from mice fed with a high-cholesterol diet were treated or not with HGF, reactive oxygen species present in cholesterol overloaded hepatocytes significantly decreased, and this effect was particularly associated with the increase in glutathione and related enzymes, such as γ-gamma glutamyl cysteine synthetase, GSH peroxidase, and GSH-S-transferase. Our data clearly indicate that HGF displays an antioxidant response by inducing the glutathione-related protection system.
Assuntos
Colesterol/toxicidade , Fator de Crescimento de Hepatócito/sangue , Hepatócitos/metabolismo , Hepatócitos/patologia , Estresse Oxidativo/efeitos dos fármacos , Animais , Antioxidantes/metabolismo , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Células Cultivadas , Dieta , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática , Glutationa/metabolismo , Hepatócitos/efeitos dos fármacos , Humanos , Fígado/efeitos dos fármacos , Fígado/patologia , Masculino , Camundongos , Hepatopatia Gordurosa não Alcoólica/sangue , Hepatopatia Gordurosa não Alcoólica/patologia , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-met/sangue , Espécies Reativas de Oxigênio/metabolismoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: C-met and its ligand, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) have been associated with the resistance mechanism of EGFR-TKIs. HGF was evaluated as a clinical-marker of response in NSCLC patients treated with afatinib. METHODS: Sixty-six patients with stage IIIB/IV lung adenocarcinoma and progression to any-line chemotherapy received afatinib 40 mg/day. Mutational EGFR and HER2 status were assessed by RT-PCR. HER2 amplification was evaluated by FISH. Serum HGF content was measured by ELISA before and 2 months after the start of treatment. HGF levels were assessed with the objective response rate (ORR), progression-free-survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). This trial was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01542437. RESULTS: Fifty patients (75 %) were EGFR mutation positive. Response was achieved in 59 % of all patients and 78 % of EGFR mutated patients. Median PFS was 10 [95 % CI 6.8-13.1] and 14.5 months [10.9-18.9] for all and EGFR mutated patients, respectively. Median OS was 22.8 [17.5-28.1] and 32.4 months [18.3-46.6] for all and EGFR mutated patients, respectively. Patients with reduced serum HGF levels had improved ORR (75 % vs 44 %; p = 0.011), PFS (15.1 [2.9-27.3] vs 6.5 months [3.9-9.1]; p = 0.005) and OS (NR vs 14.5 months [7.8 - 21.3] p = 0.007). A reduction in serum HGF levels was an independent factor associated with longer PFS (HR 0.40; p = 0.021) and OS (HR 0.31; p = 0.006) in all and EGFR mutated patients. CONCLUSIONS: A reduction in serum HGF levels was associated with improved outcomes in patients treated with afatinib. These results suggest HGF might have a role as a mechanism of resistance to EGFR-TKIs. HGF could represent a potential therapeutic target to prevent or reverse resistance particularly in EGFR mutated patients.
Assuntos
Adenocarcinoma/tratamento farmacológico , Fator de Crescimento de Hepatócito/sangue , Neoplasias Pulmonares/tratamento farmacológico , Quinazolinas/uso terapêutico , Radiossensibilizantes/uso terapêutico , Adenocarcinoma de Pulmão , Afatinib , Intervalo Livre de Doença , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Estudos Prospectivos , Quinazolinas/administração & dosagem , Quinazolinas/farmacologia , Radiossensibilizantes/administração & dosagem , Radiossensibilizantes/farmacologia , Resultado do TratamentoRESUMO
The clinical course of patients with chronic hepatitis B (CH-B) was greatly changed by the introduction of nucleoside analogues. We often encounter patients where the serum level of albumin recovers quickly following the treatment. In this study, we focused carefully on the changes in serum albumin level noted during nucleoside analogue therapy, in an effort to clarify the mechanism behind the restoration of albumin production. We observed changes in serum albumin levels during nucleoside analogue therapy in 12 patients with CH-B and studied the mechanism behind the restoration of albumin production following the therapy. The serum level of albumin was significantly increased very soon after the treatment was started. Prior to treatment with nucleoside analogues, the albumin signal for mRNA was only slightly seen in the peri-portal area, whereas 12 months after the treatment, the liver tissue presented an obvious signal of albumin mRNA. Serum levels of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) were significantly decreased 12 months after the treatment. In this study, we demonstrated that nucleoside analogues decrease HGF through the suppression of hepatocyte damage, leading to the restoration of albumin production in patients with CH-B.