American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Jul 2013
Markers of vascular perturbation correlate with airway structural change in asthma.
Air trapping and ventilation defects on imaging are characteristics of asthma. Airway wall thickening occurs in asthma and is associated with increased bronchial vascularity and vascular permeability. Vascular endothelial cell products have not been explored as a surrogate to mark structural airway changes in asthma. ⋯ Plasma VWFpp and P-selectin may be useful as surrogates of functional and structural defects that are evident on imaging. The results raise important questions about why VWFpp and P-selectin are associated specifically with different imaging abnormalities.
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Jul 2013
Chronic intermittent hypoxia induces atherosclerosis via activation of adipose angiopoietin-like 4.
Obstructive sleep apnea is a risk factor for dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis, which have been attributed to chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH). Intermittent hypoxia inhibits a key enzyme of lipoprotein clearance, lipoprotein lipase, and up-regulates a lipoprotein lipase inhibitor, angiopoietin-like 4 (Angptl4), in adipose tissue. The effects and mechanisms of Angptl4 up-regulation in sleep apnea are unknown. ⋯ HIF-1-mediated increase in adipose Angptl4 and the ensuing lipoprotein lipase inactivation may contribute to atherosclerosis in patients with sleep apnea.
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Jul 2013
Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-2 protects against polymicrobial sepsis by enhancing bacterial clearance.
Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-2 (TREM-2) is a cell surface receptor primarily expressed on macrophages and monocyte-derived cells. TREM-2 not only functions as a regulator of inflammatory response, but also serves as a phagocytic receptor for bacteria. However, the role of TREM-2 in sepsis remains unknown. ⋯ TREM-2 plays an important role in the host defense response to sepsis by enhancing bacterial clearance.