AQP4在COPD支气管黏膜的表达及其与患者肺功能、气道黏膜炎症的相关性

Effect of AQP4 expression on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

目的通过免疫组化法检测支气管黏膜中水通道蛋白-4（aquaporin-4，AQP4）的表达，观察正常组和慢性阻塞性肺疾病（chronic obstructive pulmonary disease，COPD）组支气管黏膜中AQP4表达与气道黏膜炎症及肺功能的关系，明确AOP4在COPD发生、发展中的作用，为COPD的防治开辟新途径。方法选择正常人和COPD患者各30例，测试肺功能，并行支气管镜检查，取得支气管黏膜标本，用免疫组化法检测AQP4表达，HE染色观察支气管黏膜炎症细胞浸润程度。结果COPD组较对照组AOP4表达减弱有极显著差异（P〈0．001）。AQP4表达和FEV1／FVC、FEV1／pred％呈正相关（P〈0．001），与支气管黏膜炎症严重程度呈负相关（P〈0．001）。结论COPD患者AQP4表达减少可能是其肺功能下降及气道炎症加重的原因之一。临床上可以通过改善AQP4治疗COPD。

Objective To identify the role of aquaporin-4 （AQP4） in the occurrence and progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD） by observing the relationship between AQP4 expression in mucosa membrane and lung function and the inflammation of mucosa membrane in control and COPD groups. Methods Altogether 30 healthy people and 30 COPD patients were tested in lung function and specimens of mucosa membrane were obtained by bronchoscopic examination. AQP4 expression was tested by immunohistochemistry technique. Results The relationship of the expression of AQP4 with FEV1/FVC and FEV1/pred% was significantly positive. The relationship between the expression of AQP4 and the severity of mucosa membrane inflammation was negatively correlated （P〈0.001）. Conclusion Decreased AQP4 expression in COPD patients may be one of the causes of weakened lung function and worsened air tube inflammation. Therefore, clinically, increasing the expression of AQP4 may be one of the methods to treat COPD.