Hanna Grubek-Jaworska

PHYSIOLOGICAL TESTING OF CARBON NANOTUBES: ARE THEY ASBESTOS-LIKE?

To determine whether carbon nanotubes can induce any significant health hazards we applied methods routinely used in the pathophysiological testing of asbestos-induced disease to show that the soot with a high content of CNTs does not induce any abnormalities of pulmonary function or measurable inflammation in guinea pigs treated with carbon nanotubes.

Pulmonary Toxicity of 1‐D Nanocarbon Materials

Abstract 1‐D (one‐dimensional) nanocarbon materials possess unique properties. However, they could become airborne and reach the lungs. In the present study the pulmonary toxicity of nanotubes was investigated. Guinea pigs were intratracheally instilled with different nanotubes and inflammatory response was measured. The results show that both the duration of exposure and material characteristics can affect the respiratory process and induce pathological reaction in lung tissue.

IL-6 and IL-13 in Induced Sputum of COPD and Asthma Patients: Correlation with Respiratory Tests

Background: IL-6 is strongly implicated in the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). IL-13 is the well-documented central mediator in allergic asthma. IL-6 is attributed to the proinflammatory activities in COPD as well as asthma. In COPD patients exacerbation is increased by serum IL-6. The association of IL-13 as well as IL-6 with the impaired respiratory function of asthma patients remains controversial. Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the concentration of IL-6 and IL-13 in the induced sputum of asthma and COPD patients, and to assess the possible association of these cytokines with the impairment of lung function. Methods: Twenty-six subjects with COPD and 18 subjects with asthma were enrolled in this study. IL-6 and IL-13 levels were measured in induced sputum by ELISA and correlated with the results of respiratory tests. Results: The induced sputum of COPD patients had a significantly higher IL-6 level than the sputum of asthma subjects while no significant differences were found in the levels of IL-13. There was a statistically significant negative correlation between IL-6 level and FEV1 or FEV1/FVC in asthma patients (r = –0.59 and –0.54, respectively) and a negative correlation that did not reach statistical significance between IL-6 level and FEV1, FEV1% or FVC in COPD subjects (r = –0.30, –0.30 and –0.38, respectively). There was no relationship between concentrations of IL-13 and impaired respiratory function. Conclusions: Our results confirmed that IL-6, but not of IL-13, is associated with respiratory disorders in both asthma and COPD patients.

Nontuberculous mycobacterial infections among patients suspected of pulmonary tuberculosis.

The purpose of this study was to present a retrospective analysis of the frequency of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM)-related pulmonary infections among the AFB-positive and/or culture-positive patients in the Warsaw region who were suspected of tuberculosis (TB) and hospitalized in the university hospital between 1999 and 2005. All the AFB-positive pulmonary samples were examined with a molecular method using the Amplicor MTB test (Roche) for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, and all mycobacterial isolates were speciated by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of mycolic acids. Patients who met clinical, radiological, and bacteriological criteria of mycobacteriosis were classified according to the American Thoracic Society (ATS) guidelines for diagnosis of NTM related disease. Among the 445 smear-positive or/and culture-positive patients, 142 subjects (31.9%) were found to be infected with M. tuberculosis. Among 303 non-TB patients, mycobacteriosis was found in 27 (8.9%) subjects. The frequency of NTM-related lung disease as compared to the bacteriologically-confirmed lung TB was estimated at 1:5. The rapid, precise methods of NTM speciation are necessary for progress in diagnostics of NTM related diseases.

Bronchoalveolar lavage total cell count in interstitial lung diseases--does it matter?

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is a useful technique for differential diagnosis of various interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) and is usually realized by analysis of the differential cell count. This study was conducted to estimate the value of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) total cell count (TCC) in the diagnosis of ILD. We analyzed 237 BAL samples from patients with ILD: sarcoidosis (SA), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP), hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP), chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (CEP), and smoking-related ILD (sr-ILD). The control group consisted of 30 healthy volunteers. The statistical analysis revealed significant differences in the BALF TCC between healthy controls and patients with SA, IPF, HP, COP, sr-ILD, and eosinophilic disorders (mean values 6.9 vs. 14.5, 22.5, 22.8, 20.7, 64.5, and 27.3 × 106, respectively). Logistic regression revealed a significant relation between the TCC and ILD diagnosis. We conclude that the TCC, as well as the value of total number of inflammatory cells, should be reported in the description of BAL.

Expression of eotaxins in the material from nasal brushing in asthma, allergic rhinitis and COPD patients

BACKGROUND Asthma and COPD are non-infectious inflammatory diseases of the respiratory tract. Allergic rhinitis can be assumed as an intermediate condition between healthy and asthmatic state. Eotaxins are important indicators of allergic reaction. They are strong chemoattractants mainly for eosinophils but also for other cells. OBJECTIVE We measured the level of eotaxin expression and inflammatory cell count in the material from nasal brushing in healthy controls and in patients with allergic rhinitis, asthma, and COPD. We studied the correlation between the eotaxin gene expression level in the material from nasal brushing and respiratory tests in asthma and COPD patients. METHODS Expression of eotaxins was measured using quantitative RT-PCR. Number of eotaxin transcript copies was evaluated using real time PCR standard curve method. RESULTS Of all eotaxins CCL24 had the highest expression in the material from nasal brushing, and its level was increased in allergic asthma. CCL11 was significantly increased in the material from nasal brushing of COPD patients. Increased levels of all three eotaxins were observed in the material from nasal brushing of patients with allergic rhinitis in season. The levels of CCL26 expression and FEV1/FVC factor were correlated negatively in the asthma group and positively in the COPD group. CONCLUSIONS Eotaxins are crucial factors of allergic, asthmatic and also COPD inflammatory reactions. Our results suggest a dual role of CCL26 - it can act as a negative regulator for neutrophils in COPD, while in asthma it may act as a chemoatractant of eosinophils and other cells into the lung.

The expression of the eotaxins IL-6 and CXCL8 in human epithelial cells from various levels of the respiratory tract

Airway epithelium acts as multifunctional site of response in the respiratory tract. Epithelial activity plays an important part in the pathophysiology of obstructive lung disease. In this study, we compare normal human epithelial cells from various levels of the respiratory tract in terms of their reactivity to pro-allergic and pro-inflammatory stimulation. Normal human nasal, bronchial and small airway epithelial cells were stimulated with IL-4 and IL-13. The expressions of the eotaxins IL-6 and CXCL8 were evaluated at the mRNA and protein levels. The effects of pre-treatment with IFN-γ on the cell reactivity were measured, and the responses to TNF-α, LPS and IFN-γ were evaluated. All of the studied primary cells expressed CCL26, IL-6 and IL-8 after IL-4 or IL-13 stimulation. IFN-γ pre-treatment resulted in decreased CCL26 and increased IL-6 expression in the nasal and small airway cells, but this effect was not observed in the bronchial cells. IL-6 and CXCL8 were produced in varying degrees by all of the epithelial primary cells in cultures stimulated with TNF-α, LPS or IFN-γ. We showed that epithelial cells from the various levels of the respiratory tract act in a united way, responding in a similar manner to stimulation with IL-4 and IL-13, showing similar reactivity to TNF-α and LPS, and giving an almost unified response to IFN-γ pre-stimulation.

Pathogenic Activity of 1D Nanocarbons: In Vivo Studies on Guinea Pigs

Pathogenic activity of different 1D nanocarbons was studied in vivo on guinea pigs. Long exposure of airways to specific 1D nanomaterial can affect the respiration and induce pathological processes in lung tissue.