MedPath

Respiratory and Cardiovascular Effects in COPD

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive
Interventions
Other: Bronchoscopy
Registration Number
NCT02729220
Lead Sponsor
Dr Annelie F Behndig, MD PhD
Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to find out if subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have signs of accelerated ageing in their airways.

Detailed Description

The age-related impairment of innate immunity and antioxidant defenses likely impacts on development and disease progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD. It has been suggested that aging-related declines in function are accelerated in COPD due to recurrent cycles of inflammation, tissue injury and repair, associated with long-term exposure to cigarette smoke or other airway irritants. Here, the investigators aim to follow up on previous observations of impaired antioxidant responses in the lung of COPD patients, to establish the extent to which this reflects an accelerated aging phenotype, to characterize the molecular mechanisms resulting in this functional deficiency. The proposed studies will employ well-characterized patients with COPD of varying severity and smoking habits, as well as carefully age and smoking history-matched controls. Accelerated aging within the COPD lung will be assessed in endobronchial mucosal biopsies and airway macrophages by assessment of established senescence markers using immunohistochemical, biochemical and PCR-based methods. These markers of tissue age will then be related to the functional activation of transcription factors, known to be induced by oxidative stress and related to cytoprotection such as Nrf2 and AP1. The investigators will also examine whether COPD is associated with an enhanced secretion of inflammatory mediators from senescent cells, consistent with the accelerated aging paradigm and establish how this influences cell function. Deficiencies in metal handling, antioxidant defenses and diminished airway innate immune defenses at the air-lung interface will be assessed. The aim is to identify biomarkers for the risk of rapid lung function deterioration in COPD patients.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
52
Inclusion Criteria
  • Clinical diagnosis of COPD, GOLD stage 2-3.
  • Smoking history of at least 10 packyears.
Exclusion Criteria
  • Severe ischemic heart disease.
  • Other severe disease.
  • Respiratory infection within four weeks.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
COPD slow declineBronchoscopyBronchoscopy with collection of bronchial biopsies and lavages Arterial stiffness
Healthy controlsBronchoscopyBronchoscopy with collection of bronchial biopsies and lavages Arterial stiffness
SmokersBronchoscopyBronchoscopy with collection of bronchial biopsies and lavages Arterial stiffness
COPD rapid declineBronchoscopyBronchoscopy with collection of bronchial biopsies and lavages Arterial stiffness
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Matrix metalloproteinase 12 (MMP12) and the inhibitor TIMP1Baseline

Airway lavages collected by bronchoscopy and serum will be analysed for MMP and TIMP using ELISAs.

Levels of oxidized proteins, 4 HNEBaseline

The accumulation of oxidized proteins, 4-Hydroxynonenal, will be assessed in bronchial biopsies.

Antioxidant-related transcription factor Nrf2Baseline

Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) is a transcription factor known to be induced by oxidative stress and related to cytoprotection.

Cellular senescence marker - Ki67Baseline

Endobronchial mucosal biopsies collected by bronchoscopy. Immunohistochemistry for the cellular senescence markers Ki67 will be performed.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Lymphocyte subsets in bronchoalveolar lavageBaseline

Airway lavages collected by bronchoscopy will be analysed for lymphocyte subsets using flow cytometry.

Arterial stiffnessBaseline

Non-invasive measurement of arterial stiffness

Metals in airway lavagesBaseline

Airway lavages collected by bronchoscopy will be analysed for metals using mass spectrometry

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Division of medicine, Pulmonary medicine

🇸🇪

Umeå, Sverige, Sweden

© Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved by MedPath