Abstract
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Antibodies of IgG, IgA and IgM against Human Bronchial Epithelial Cell in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
by Guilian Cheng, Nian Zhang, Yueqin Wang, Rui Jiang, Wei Huang, Yin Xiong, Tianpen Cui
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Background: Recently, autoimmune mechanisms and pulmonary epithelial cells have attracted attention in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Circulating antibodies against human bronchial epithelial cells (antiHBEC) bind to bronchial epithelial antigens and induce bronchial epithelial cell damage. This study aimed to detect the expression of IgG, IgM, and IgA anti-HBEC in patients with COPD.
Methods: The association of gender, age, body mass index (BMI), and pulmonary function with the presence of IgG, IgA, and IgM anti-HBEC in the plasma was determined in 170 patients with COPD and 150 age-matched healthy controls. Circulating IgG, IgA, and IgM anti-HBEC were detected by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF).
Results: Positive IgG anti-HBEC was seen in 34/170 (20.00%) COPD and 11/150 (7.33%) healthy controls (p < 0.001) (1:100 dilution); positive IgA anti-HBEC were presented in 50/170 (29.41%) COPD and 13/150 (8.67%) healthy controls (p < 0.0001) (1:40 dilution); 19/170 (11.18%) COPD and 10/150 (6.67%) healthy controls exhibited positive IgM anti-HBEC (p > 0.05) (1:40 dilution). The positive IgG and IgA anti-HBEC COPD patients were mostly classified as GOLD (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease) III and GOLD IV. The positive IgA anti-HBEC COPD patients had lower BMI than healthy controls (p < 0.05).
Conclusions: Our results suggest that an autoimmune component associated with bronchial epithelial cell damage is possibly involved in COPD and the presence of IgG and IgA anti-HBEC correlated with the GOLD stage of COPD. Therefore, our studies indicate that IgG and IgA anti-HBEC may associate with the disease severity of COPD.
DOI: 10.7754/Clin.Lab.2015.151020
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