Bronchial angiogenesis in severe glucocorticoid-dependent asthma

To examine the role of the bronchial microvasculature and adhesion molecule expression in severe asthma, the authors have performed an immunohistochemical study on bronchial biopsies comparing 15 glucocorticoid-dependent asthmatics, 15 mild asthmatics and eight control subjects. Serially cut glycol methacrylate-embedded sections were stained with monoclonal antibodies identifying the vessel marker EN-4, intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1, E- and P-selectin. Sections were also stained for lymphocyte function associated antigen (LFA)-1 and very late antigen (VLA)-4. By comparison with mild asthma and nonasthma, severe asthma was characterized by increased numbers of submucosal vessels (p=0.009) which was associated with increased numbers of vessels expressing ICAM-1 (p=0.005). A highly significant correlation was found between the total number of EN-4+ vessels and the vessels expressing ICAM-1 (r=0.85, p=0.01). In contrast, E-selectin expression was lower in severe as compared with mild asthma (p=0.01) but not different from normal. No differences were found between the three groups in the expression of VCAM-1 and P-selectin nor in numbers of LFA-1+ and VLA-4+ cells. The results of this study support the notion that mucosal neovascularization is an important feature of airways remodelling in severe asthma. This is associated with a relatively higher density of vessels expressing intercellular adhesion molecule-1, although the expression of this adhesion molecule per vessel was not raised.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. P. Vieira, V. F. de Andrade, A. C. S. Duarte, A. B. G. dos Santos, T. Mauad, M. A. Martins, M. Dolhnikoff, and C. R. F. Carvalho Aerobic conditioning and allergic pulmonary inflammation in mice. II. Effects on lung vascular and parenchymal inflammation and remodeling Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, October 1, 2008; 295(4): L670 - L679. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Matsuda, S. Fukuda, K. Matsumoto, and H. Saito Th1/Th2 Cytokines Reciprocally Regulate In Vitro Pulmonary Angiogenesis via CXC Chemokine Synthesis Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol., February 1, 2008; 38(2): 168 - 175. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Asosingh, S. Swaidani, M. Aronica, and S. C. Erzurum Th1- and Th2-Dependent Endothelial Progenitor Cell Recruitment and Angiogenic Switch in Asthma J. Immunol., May 15, 2007; 178(10): 6482 - 6494. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Mohsenin, M. D. Burdick, J. G. Molina, M. P. Keane, and M. R. Blackburn Enhanced CXCL1 production and angiogenesis in adenosine-mediated lung disease FASEB J, April 1, 2007; 21(4): 1026 - 1036. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. Bhandari, R. Choo-Wing, S. P. Chapoval, C. G. Lee, C. Tang, Y. K. Kim, B. Ma, P. Baluk, M. I. Lin, D. M. McDonald, et al. Essential role of nitric oxide in VEGF-induced, asthma-like angiogenic, inflammatory, mucus, and physiologic responses in the lung PNAS, July 18, 2006; 103(29): 11021 - 11026. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. S. Lee, K. H. Min, S. R. Kim, S. J. Park, H. S. Park, G. Y. Jin, and Y. C. Lee Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Modulates Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Expression in Asthma Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., July 15, 2006; 174(2): 161 - 170. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. N. Feltis, D. Wignarajah, L. Zheng, C. Ward, D. Reid, R. Harding, and E. H. Walters Increased Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Receptors: Relationship to Angiogenesis in Asthma Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., June 1, 2006; 173(11): 1201 - 1207. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. M. O. Abdel-Rahman, S. A. F. El-Sahrigy, and S. I. Bakr A comparative study of two angiogenic factors: vascular endothelial growth factor and angiogenin in induced sputum from asthmatic children in acute attack. Chest, February 1, 2006; 129(2): 266 - 271. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Horvath and A. Wanner Inhaled corticosteroids: effects on the airway vasculature in bronchial asthma Eur. Respir. J., January 1, 2006; 27(1): 172 - 187. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Hashimoto, H. Tanaka, and S. Abe Quantitative Analysis of Bronchial Wall Vascularity in the Medium and Small Airways of Patients With Asthma and COPD Chest, March 1, 2005; 127(3): 965 - 972. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. J. Homer and J. A. Elias Airway Remodeling in Asthma: Therapeutic Implications of Mechanisms Physiology, February 1, 2005; 20(1): 28 - 35. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. K. Jeffery Remodeling and Inflammation of Bronchi in Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Proceedings of the ATS, November 1, 2004; 1(3): 176 - 183. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. M. Abdel-Majid and J. S. Marshall Prostaglandin E2 Induces Degranulation-Independent Production of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor by Human Mast Cells J. Immunol., January 15, 2004; 172(2): 1227 - 1236. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Hoshino, N. Aoike, M. Takahashi, Y. Nakamura, and T. Nakagawa Increased immunoreactivity of stromal cell-derived factor-1 and angiogenesis in asthma Eur. Respir. J., May 1, 2003; 21(5): 804 - 809. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Chetta, A. Zanini, A. Foresi, M. Del Donno, A. Castagnaro, R. D'Ippolito, S. Baraldo, R. Testi, M. Saetta, and D. Olivieri Vascular Component of Airway Remodeling in Asthma Is Reduced by High Dose of Fluticasone Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., March 1, 2003; 167(5): 751 - 757. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. K. JEFFERY Remodeling in Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., November 15, 2001; 164(10): S28 - 38. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. W. Chu, M. Kraft, M. D. Rex, and R. J. Martin Evaluation of Blood Vessels and Edema in the Airways of Asthma Patients : Regulation With Clarithromycin Treatment Chest, August 1, 2001; 120(2): 416 - 422. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]