Department of Pediatrics, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, India.
Indian J Med Res. 2013 Mar;137(3):507-14.
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: ADAM33 is a member of a family of genes that encode membrane-anchored proteins with a disintegrin and a metalloprotease domain, primarily expressed in lung fibroblasts and bronchial smooth muscle cells. ADAM33 has been identified as a risk factor for asthma and is known as a gene associated with airway remodelling. The present study was conducted with the aims to investigate the expression of ADAM33 protein in patients of asthma and non-asthmatic controls, and to assess if the expression of ADAM33 protein relates with severity of asthma.
A total of 35 subjects, including 27 patients with asthma and eight non-asthmatic controls were included using Global Initiative for Asthma guidelines 2005. Bronchial biopsy tissues were collected and paraffin sections were made to store all study samples. Immunohistochemistry was performed using standardized protocol.
An increase in expression of ADAM33 protein was observed in the epithelium, smooth muscle and mesenchymal cells of asthma cases when compared to controls but there was no relationship with severity of asthma.
INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS: A higher expression of ADAM33 protein was seen in asthma patients compared to controls. Large prospective studies need to be done with adequate study design to confirm these preliminary finding.
ADAM33 是解整合素金属蛋白酶 33，属于解整合素金属蛋白酶超家族成员，主要表达于肺成纤维细胞和支气管平滑肌细胞，其编码的蛋白具有膜结合蛋白的结构域。ADAM33 已被确定为哮喘的危险因素，是与气道重塑相关的基因。本研究旨在探讨 ADAM33 蛋白在哮喘患者和非哮喘对照者中的表达，并评估 ADAM33 蛋白的表达与哮喘严重程度的关系。
根据 2005 年全球哮喘防治创议（GINA）指南，共纳入 35 例患者，其中 27 例哮喘患者，8 例非哮喘对照者。收集支气管活检组织，制作石蜡切片，保存所有研究样本。采用标准化方案进行免疫组织化学染色。
与对照组相比，哮喘患者的上皮细胞、平滑肌细胞和间充质细胞中 ADAM33 蛋白表达增加，但与哮喘严重程度无关。
哮喘患者中 ADAM33 蛋白的表达高于对照组。需要进行设计合理的大型前瞻性研究来证实这些初步发现。
