Ageing and long-term smoking affects KL-6 levels in the lung, induced sputum and plasma.

ABSTRACT:

Background

KL-6 is a high-molecular-weight glycoprotein classified as a human MUC1 mucin. It was hypothesized that KL-6 could be detectable in the circulating blood and especially in airway secretions in lung diseases associated with mucus production such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Additional aims of this study were to investigate whether the levels of KL-6 in plasma and sputum are related to ageing and smoking history.

Methods

The concentrations of KL-6 in plasma and induced sputum supernatants from young and/or middle aged/elderly non-smokers, smokers and patients with COPD were assayed by ELISA (n = 201). The subjects were classified into five groups according to age, smoking status and presence of COPD. In addition, KL-6 expression in control and di

SUBMITTER: Ishikawa N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3114798 | biostudies-literature | 2011 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature