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Caveolin-1 Expression and Hemodynamics in COPD Patients.
Lars C Huber1, Alex Soltermann, Manuel Fischler
1Working Group for Pulmonary Hypertension, Department for Internal Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
The Open Respiratory Medicine Journal
|July 3, 2009
Summary
Caveolin-1 expression in pulmonary arteries differs between patients with and without pulmonary hypertension. Increased medial smooth muscle cell expression of caveolin-1 is linked to pulmonary hypertension in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Cardiovascular Research
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Caveolin-1 regulates intracellular calcium and endothelial nitric oxide synthase.
- Caveolin-1 may contribute to the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension.
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is often associated with pulmonary hypertension.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between pulmonary hemodynamics and pulmonary arteriole morphology.
- To examine the expression of Caveolin-1 in pulmonary arterioles of COPD patients.
- To correlate Caveolin-1 expression patterns with hemodynamic data and vessel morphology.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of paraffin-embedded lung tissue from 12 COPD patients.
- Immunohistochemistry for Caveolin-1 expression in pulmonary arteries (100-500 microm external diameter).
- Morphometric analysis using computer-assisted imaging and correlation with right-heart catheterization data.
Main Results:
- Increased Caveolin-1 expression in the medial smooth muscle cell layer of pulmonary arteries in COPD patients with pulmonary hypertension (n=5).
- More prominent intimal Caveolin-1 expression in COPD patients with normal pulmonary pressures (n=7).
- Positive correlation between the ratio of intimal to medial Caveolin-1 expression and mean pulmonary artery pressure.
Conclusions:
- Caveolin-1 expression in medial smooth muscle cells of pulmonary arteries is associated with pulmonary hypertension in COPD.
- The ratio of intimal to medial Caveolin-1 expression correlates with pulmonary artery pressure.
- Caveolin-1 may represent a novel factor in the pathogenesis of COPD-associated pulmonary hypertension.
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