Inflammatory mediators in exhaled breath condensate of healthy donors and exacerbated COPD patients

• Published in: Cytokine (Philadelphia, Pa.) Pa.), 2012-06, Vol.58 (3), p.361-367
• Main Authors: Tateosian, Nancy L., Costa, María J., Guerrieri, Diego, Barro, Analía, Mazzei, Juan A., Eduardo Chuluyan, H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Albumin; albumins; Breath Tests; Case-Control Studies; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Coatings; Condensates; COPD; Cytokines; Exhaled breath condensate; Female; Humans; IFNγ; Immunoassays; Inflammation; Inflammation Mediators - metabolism; Interferon-gamma - metabolism; Leukocytes; Lung diseases; Male; Middle Aged; MPO; myeloperoxidase; Parenchyma; patients; Peroxidase; Peroxidase - metabolism; pneumonia; Proteinase inhibitors; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - metabolism; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - physiopathology; Secretory Leukocyte Peptidase Inhibitor - metabolism; SLPI; Spirometry
• ISSN: 1043-4666; 1096-0023
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2012.03.006

► Collection of exhaled breath condensate obtains samples from the respiratory tract. ► The method was questioned by the low concentration and instability of the mediators. ► Coating the collection device with albumin increased the sensitivity of the technique. ► We found higher levels of MPO and SLPI and lower levels of IFNγ from COPD patients. ► Improving the technique allowed us to verify the status of patients lung parenchyma. Samples of exhaled breath condensate (EBC) provide a convenient and non-invasive method to study inflammation in lung diseases. The aim of the present study was to evaluate and compare the inflammatory protein mediator levels in EBC from healthy donors (HD) and from patients with exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) using an EBC collection device with and without a coating of albumin as a carrier. We studied 13 HD and 26 patients with exacerbation of COPD. The concentrations of myeloperoxidase (MPO), IFNγ and secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) in EBC were measured by immunoassays. The EBC samples from HD and COPD patients showed higher concentrations of MPO when samples were recovered with an albumin-coated device. Furthermore, levels of MPO in COPD patients were significantly higher than in HD. An inverse correlation was observed between MPO and spirometric parameters (FVC and FEV1). Almost all samples collected with the albumin-coated device showed higher amounts of IFNγ and SLPI than those collected with the uncoated device. The levels of SLPI in COPD patients were significantly higher than in HD. A direct correlation was observed between FVC% predicted and SLPI. We concluded that coating the collection device with albumin increased the sensitivity of the technique, at least for measurements of MPO, SLPI and IFNγ. Furthermore, the higher levels of MPO and SLPI and lower levels of IFNγ in EBC from COPD patients could reflect the immunological status and the response of lung parenchyma to treatment during the exacerbation of the illness.