Researchers Identify Molecule That Triggers Smoking-Related Lung Disease

A molecule which contributes to the development of smoking-related lung disease has been identified by researchers.

Long-term exposure to compounds found in smoke can lead to both cardiovascular and lung disease.

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Although lung exposure to cigarette smoke leads to immune cell recruitment and tissue fibrosis, how cigarette smoke causes these changes is unknown.

The researchers sought to determine if osteopontin, a molecule that attracts immune cells, mediates cell recruitment in smokers.

Prasse et al compared osteopontin levels from smokers with different types of lung diseases, healthy smokers, and healthy non-smokers.

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They found high levels of osteopontin expression in patients with interstitial lung disease, whereas healthy smokers had lower levels, and healthy non-smokers produced no osteopontin.

Moreover, expressing osteopontin in rat lung resulted in recruitment of immune cells, resulting in symptoms similar to smoking-related interstitial lung diseases. These results indicate that osteopontin may be pathogenic in smoking-initiated lung disease.

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The researchers said " that chronic nicotine stimulation induced by cigarette smoking promotes macrophage and Langerhans cell accumulation in the lung via an increase in [osteopontin production]."

Osteopontin and cellular receptors for nicotine may therefore be new targets for treating smoking related lung disease.

The study appears in The American Journal of Pathology.

Source-ANI
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