• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.20.1-20.21
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• 2024

The brain and lungs, vital organs in the body, play essential roles in maintaining overall well-being and survival. These organs interact through complex and sophisticated bi-directional pathways known as the 'lung-brain axis', facilitated by their close proximity and neural connections. Numerous studies have underscored the mediation of the lung-brain axis by inflammatory responses and hypoxia-induced damage, which are pivotal to the progression of both pulmonary and neurological diseases. This review aims to delve into how pulmonary diseases, including acute/chronic airway diseases and pulmonary conditions, can instigate neurological disorders such as stroke, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease. Additionally, we highlight the emerging research on the lung microbiome which, drawing parallels between the gut and lungs in terms of microbiome contents, may play a significant role in modulating brain health. Ultimately, this review paves the way for exciting avenues of future research and therapeutics in addressing respiratory and neurological diseases.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제80권3호
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• pp.247-254
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• 2017

Background: Airway epithelial cells are the first line of defense, against pathogens and environmental pollutants, in the lungs. Cellular stress by cadmium (Cd), resulting in airway inflammation, is assumed to be directly involved in tissue injury, linked to the development of lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We had earlier shown that ACN9 (chromosome 7q21), is a potential candidate gene for COPD, and identified significant interaction with smoking, based on genetic studies. However, the role of ACN9 in the inflammatory response, in the airway cells, has not yet been reported. Methods: We first checked the anatomical distribution of ACN9 in lung tissues, using mRNA in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemistry. Gene expression profiling in bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B), was performed, after silencing ACN9. We further tested the roles of ACN9, in the intracellular mechanism, leading to Cd-induced production, of proinflammatory cytokines in BEAS-2B. Results: ACN9 was localized in lymphoid, and epithelial cells, of human lung tissues. ACN9 silencing, led to differential expression of 216 genes. Pathways of sensory perception to chemical stimuli, and cell surface receptor-linked signal transduction, were significantly enriched. ACN9 silencing, further increased the expression of proinflammatory cytokines, in BEAS-2B after Cd exposure. Conclusion: Our findings suggest, that ACN9 may have a role, in the inflammatory response in the airway.

• 대한영상의학회지
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• 제84권5호
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• pp.1123-1133
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• 2023

목적 만성폐쇄성폐질환의 CT에서 자동 정량 측정된 체성분과 폐기능 또는 정량적 변수들 사이의 연관성을 알아보고자 하였다. 대상과 방법 총 290명의 만성폐쇄성폐질환 환자를 대상으로 연구하였다. 흉부 CT에서 근육 및 피하지방 부피, T12 레벨에서 근육 및 피하지방 면적 및 골 감쇠를 딥러닝 기반 분할 알고리즘을 사용하여 획득하였다. Parametric response mapping-derived emphysema (이하 PRM^emph), PRM-derived functional small airway disease (이하 PRM^fSAD) 및 기도 벽 두께(airway wall thickness; 이하 AWT)-Pi10을 정량적으로 평가하였다. Pearson 상관 분석을 사용하여 체성분과 결과 간의 연관성을 평가하였다. 결과 근육과 피하지방의 부피와 면적은 PRM^emph와 PRM^fSAD와 음의 상관관계를 보였다(p < 0.05). T12에서의 골밀도는 PRM^emph와 음의 상관관계를 보였다(r = -0.1828, p = 0.002). 피하지방의 부피와 면적과 T12에서의 골밀도는 AWT-Pi10과 양의 상관관계를 보였다(r = 0.1287, p = 0.030; r = 0.1668, p = 0.005; r = 0.1279, p = 0.031). 반면에 근육 부피는 AWT-Pi10과 음의 상관관계를 보였다(r = -0.1966, p = 0.001). 근육 부피는 폐기능과 의미 있는 연과성을 보였다(p < 0.001). 결론 흉부 CT에서 정량적으로 평가된 체성분은 만성폐쇄성폐질환의 표현형 또는 중증도와 연관성을 보인다.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제44권4호
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• pp.853-860
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• 1997

연구배경 : 만성 기침은 임상에서 흔한 증상으로 대부분은 후비루증(posterior nasal dripping : PND), 천식, 위식도 역류증, 기관지염 등으로 인한 것으로 알려져 있다. 만성 기침 환자 중 일부분은 기침과 동반하여 천명이나, 호흡곤란 등과 같은 기관지 천식과 유사한 증상을 경우가 많아 기관지 과민반응 검사를 시행하게 된다. 기관지 과민반응 검사는 대부분 $FEV_1$을 측정하지만 흉곽외 기도의 과민반응은 측정하지 못하는 단점이 있다. 본 연구는 만성 기침 환자를 대상으로 기관지와 흉부외 기도의 methacholine 유발 검사를 시행하여 기도 과민 반응을 평가하여 상관 관계를 알아보고자 본 연구를 시행하였다. 대상 및 방법 : 대상 환자는 2개월 이상 기침이 있는 111명의 환자를 대상으로 하였으며, 남자 55명, 여자 56명으로 평균 연령은 $37.4{\pm}13.0$세였다. 대상 환자는 심혈관 질환, 전신 질환 등이 없었으며, 과거에 기관지 진단 받은 병력이 없고 기관지 확장제나 사용한 병력이 없었던 환자였다. 기침이나 천명 또는 간헐적인 호흡곤란 등의 증상은 문진으로 확인하였고, 기침만 존재한 환자 46명, 기침과 천명이 있는 환자 24명, 기침과 호흡곤란이 있는 환자 22명, 기침, 천명 및 호흡곤란이 있는 환자 19명이었다. 대상환자의 폐기능검사는 $FEV_1$(%) $106.5{\pm}15.3$, FVC(%) $100.1{\pm}12.8$, $FEV_1$/FVC(%) $106.3{\pm}13.1$로 정상이었다. Methacholine 유발검사는 0.0625 에서 25 mg/ml의 2배수 농도를 흡입한 5분후 기관지 과민 반응은 $PC_{20}FEV_1$으로 측정하였고, 흉곽외 기도 과민 반응은 최대 중간흡입 기류속도인 $MIF_{50}$으로 측정하여 연속 3회 감소하고 25%이상 감소한 $PC_{25}MIF_{50}$으로 측정하여 25mg/ml 이하의 농도에서 양성인 경우를 기관지(BHR) 및 흉부외 기도(EAHR) 에 각각 반응이 있다고 판독하여 대상 환자의 상관 관계를 확인하여 다음과 같은 결과를 얻었다. 결 과 : 대상 환자 총 111명중에 기관지 과민반응(BHR)이 27명, 흉곽외 기도 과민반응(EAHR)이 16명, BHR과 EAHR이 함께 있는 환자 8명으로 과민 반응이 있는 환자는 총 50명이었으며, 그외의 61명은 기관지와 흉부외 기도의 과민반응이 없었다. BHR 또는 EAHR이 양성인 환자 50명중에 기침만 있는 환자는 BHR이 3명, EAHR이 9명, BER과 EAHR이 같이 있는 환자는 2명으로 EAHR이 가장 많았으며, 기침과 천명이 있는 환자는 BHR이 10명, EAHR이 2명 및 BHR과 EAHR이 같이 있는 환자는 2명으로 BHR이 가장 많았고, 기침과 호흡곤란이 있는 환자는 BHR이 7명, EAHR이 3명, BHR과 EAHR이 같이 있는 환자는 1명으로 BHR이 가장 많았다. 기침, 천명 및 호흡곤란이 모두 있는 환자는 BHR이 7명, EAHR이 2명, BHR과 EAHR이 같이 있는 환자는 3명으로 BHR이 가장 많았다. BHR와 EAHR이 모두 음성인 환자는 총 61명이었으며, 기침만 있는 환장 32명, 기침과 천명이 있는 환자 10명, 기침과 호흡곤란이 있는 환자 11명, 기침, 천명 및 호흡곤란이 모 두 있는 환자는 7명이었다. 결 론 : Methacholine에 양성 반응인 환자중 호흡곤란이나 천명이 동반된 만성 기침환자에서는 주로 기관지 과민 반응이 나타났으며, 기침 단독 증상인 환자에서는 반응이 존재함을 알 수 있었다.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제86권3호
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• pp.151-157
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• 2023

The introduction of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) for the management of asthma has led to a decrease in acute exacerbation of asthma. However, there are concerns regarding the safety of long-term ICS use, particularly pneumonia. Growing evidence indicates that ICS use is associated with an increased risk of pneumonia in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, whereas the risk in patients with asthma remains unclear. This review discusses the effect of ICS on pneumonia among patients with asthma to update the existing literature. Asthma is associated with an increased risk of pneumonia. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain this association, including that asthma impairs the clearance of bacteria owing to chronic inflammation. Therefore, controlling airway inflammation with ICS may prevent the occurrence of pneumonia in asthma. In addition, two meta-analyses investigating randomized control trials showed that ICS use was associated with a protective effect against pneumonia in asthma.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제77권3호
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• pp.116-123
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• 2014

Background: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) obtained from bone marrow or adipose tissue can successfully repair emphysematous animal lungs, which is a characteristic of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Here, we describe the cellular distribution of MSCs that were intravenously injected into mice with elastase-induced emphysema. The distributions were also compared to the distributions in control mice without emphysema. Methods: We used fluorescence optical imaging with quantum dots (QDs) to track intravenously injected MSCs. In addition, we used a human Alu sequence-based real-time polymerase chain reaction method to assess the lungs, liver, kidney, and spleen in mice with elastase-induced emphysema and control mice at 1, 4, 24, 72, and 168 hours after MSCs injection. Results: The injected MSCs were detected with QD fluorescence at 1- and 4-hour postinjection, and the human Alu sequence was detected at 1-, 4- and 24-hour postinjection in control mice (lungs only). Injected MSCs remained more in mice with elastase-induced emphysema at 1, 4, and 24 hours after MSCs injection than the control lungs without emphysema. Conclusion: In conclusion, our results show that injected MSCs were observed at 1 and 4 hours post injection and more MSCs remain in lungs with emphysema.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제87권3호
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• pp.368-377
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• 2024

Background: Bronchiectasis is a chronic respiratory disease that leads to airway inflammation, destruction, and airflow limitation, which reflects its severity. Impulse oscillometry (IOS) is a non-invasive method that uses sound waves to estimate lung function and airway resistance. The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of IOS in predicting the severity of bronchiectasis. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the IOS parameters and clinical characteristics in 145 patients diagnosed with bronchiectasis between March 2020 and May 2021. Disease severity was evaluated using the FACED score, and patients were divided into mild and moderate/severe groups. Results: Forty-four patients (30.3%) were in the moderate/severe group, and 101 (69.7%) were in the mild group. Patients with moderate/severe bronchiectasis had a higher airway resistance at 5 Hz (R5), a higher difference between the resistance at 5 and 20 Hz (R5-R20), a higher resonant frequency (Fres), and a higher area of reactance (AX) than patients with mild bronchiectasis. R5 ≥0.43, resistance at 20 Hz (R20) ≥0.234, R5-R20 ≥28.3, AX ≥1.02, reactance at 5 Hz (X5) ≤-0.238, and Fres ≥20.88 revealed significant univariable relationships with bronchiectasis severity (p<0.05). Among these, only X5 ≤-0.238 exhibited a significant multivariable relationship with bronchiectasis severity (p=0.039). The receiver operating characteristic curve for predicting moderate-to-severe bronchiectasis of FACED score based on IOS parameters exhibited an area under the curve of 0.809. Conclusion: The IOS assessed by the disease severity of FACED score can effectively reflect airway resistance and elasticity in bronchiectasis patients and serve as valuable tools for predicting bronchiectasis severity.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.65-71
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• 2015

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) and reversible airway obstruction. Methacholine (MCh) is widely used in broncho-provocation test to evaluate airway resistance. For experimental investigation, ovalbumin-induced sensitization is frequently used in rodents (Ova-asthma). However, albeit the inflammatory histology and AHR in vivo, it remains unclear whether the MCh sensitivity of airway smooth muscle isolated from Ova-asthma is persistently changed. In this study, the contractions of airways in precision-cut lung slices (PCLS) from control, Ova-asthma, and IL-13 overexpressed transgenic mice (IL-13TG) were compared by analyzing the airway lumen space (AW). The airway resistance in vivo was measured using plethysmograph. AHR and increased inflammatory cells in BAL fluid were confirmed in Ova-asthma and IL-13TG mice. In the PCLS from all three groups, MCh concentration-dependent narrowing of airway lumen (${\Delta}AW$) was observed. In contrast to the AHR in vivo, the $EC_{50}$ of MCh for ${\Delta}AW$ from Ova-asthma and IL-13TG were not different from control, indicating unchanged sensitivity to MCh. Although the AW recovery upon MCh-washout showed sluggish tendency in Ova-asthma, the change was also statistically insignificant. Membrane depolarization-induced ${\Delta}AW$ by 60 mM $K^+$ (60K-contraction) was larger in IL-13TG than control, whereas 60K-contraction of Ova-asthma was unaffected. Furthermore, serotonin-induced ${\Delta}AW$ of Ova-asthma was smaller than control and IL-13TG. Taken together, the AHR in Ova-asthma and IL-13TG are not reflected in the contractility of isolated airways from PCLS. The AHR of the model animals seems to require intrinsic agonists or inflammatory microenvironment that is washable during tissue preparation.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제33권5호
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• pp.634-643
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• 2023

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), one of the leading causes of death worldwide, is caused by repeated exposure to harmful matter, such as cigarette smoke. Although Lilium longiflorum Thunb (LLT) has anti-inflammatory effects, there is no report on the fermented LLT bulb extract regulating lung inflammation in COPD. Thus, we investigated the protective effect of LLT bulb extract fermented with Lactobacillus acidophilus 803 in COPD mouse models induced by cigarette smoke extract (CSE) and porcine pancreas elastase (PPE). Oral administration of the fermented product (LS803) suppressed the production of inflammatory mediators and the infiltration of immune cells involving neutrophils and macrophages, resulting in protective effects against lung damage. In addition, LS803 inhibited CSE- and LPS-induced IL-6 and IL-8 production in airway epithelial H292 cells as well as suppressed PMA-induced formation of neutrophil extracellular traps in HL-60 cells. In particular, LS803 significantly repressed the elevated IL-6 and MIP-2 production after CSE and LPS stimulation by suppressing the activity of the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B (NFκB) in mouse peritoneal macrophages. Therefore, our results suggest that the fermented product LS803 is effective in preventing and alleviating lung inflammation.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제86권2호
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• pp.120-132
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• 2023

Background: To systematically review studies on inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and lung cancer incidence in chronic airway disease patients. Methods: We conducted electronic bibliographic searches on OVID-MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Database before May 2020 to identify relevant studies. Detailed data on the study population, exposure, and outcome domains were reviewed. Results: Of 4,058 screened publications, 13 eligible studies in adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma evaluated lung cancer incidence after ICS exposure. Pooled hazard ratio and odds ratio for developing lung cancer in ICS exposure were 0.81 (95% confidence interval, 0.64 to 1.02; I²=95.7%) from 10 studies and 1.02 (95% confidence interval 0.50 to 2.07; I²=94.7%) from three studies. Meta-regression failed to explain the substantial heterogeneity of pooled estimates. COPD and asthma were variously defined without spirometry in 11 studies. Regarding exposure assessment, three and 10 studies regarded ICS exposure as a time-dependent and fixed variable, respectively. Some studies assessed ICS use for the entire study period, whereas others assessed ICS use for 6 months to 2 years within or before study entry. Smoking was adjusted in four studies, and only four studies introduced 1 to 2 latency years in their main or subgroup analysis. Conclusion: Studies published to date on ICS and lung cancer incidence had heterogeneous study populations, exposures, and outcome assessments, limiting the generation of a pooled conclusion. The beneficial effect of ICS on lung cancer incidence has not yet been established, and understanding the heterogeneities will help future researchers to establish robust evidence on ICS and lung cancer incidence.