Gao Fu-Sheng, Cao Tong-Mei, Gao Yan-Yan, Liu Mei-Juan, Liu Yong-Quan, Wang Ze
Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical College, Weifang, China.
Exp Lung Res. 2014 Aug;40(6):298-307. doi: 10.3109/01902148.2014.918212. Epub 2014 Jun 13.
Epidemiologic studies suggest that increased concentrations of airborne spores of Aspergillus fumigatus closely relate to asthma aggravation. Chronic exposure to A. fumigatus aggravates airway inflammation, remodeling, and airway hyperresponsiveness in asthmatic rats. The effects of chronic exposure to A. fumigatus on epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression in the airway epithelial cells of asthmatic rats remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of chronic exposure to A. fumigatus on injury and shedding of airway epithelium, goblet cell metaplasia, and EGFR expression in the airway epithelial cells of asthmatic rats. A rat model of chronic asthma was established using ovalbumin (OVA) sensitization and challenge. Rats with chronic asthma were then exposed to long-term inhalation of spores of A. fumigatus, and the dynamic changes in injury and shedding of airway epithelium, goblet cell metaplasia, and EGFR expression were observed and analyzed. Chronic exposure to A. fumigatus could aggravate airway epithelial cell damage, upregulate the expression of EGFR and its ligands EGF and TGF-α, promote goblet cell metaplasia, and increase airway responsiveness in rats with asthma. Chronic exposure to A. fumigatus upregulates the expression of EGFR and its ligands in asthmatic rats. The EGFR pathway may play a role in asthma aggravation induced by exposure to A. fumigatus.
流行病学研究表明，烟曲霉气传孢子浓度增加与哮喘加重密切相关。长期暴露于烟曲霉会加重哮喘大鼠的气道炎症、重塑和气道高反应性。长期暴露于烟曲霉对哮喘大鼠气道上皮细胞中表皮生长因子受体（EGFR）表达的影响尚不清楚。本研究旨在探讨长期暴露于烟曲霉对哮喘大鼠气道上皮损伤与脱落、杯状细胞化生以及气道上皮细胞中EGFR表达的影响。采用卵清蛋白（OVA）致敏和激发建立慢性哮喘大鼠模型。然后让慢性哮喘大鼠长期吸入烟曲霉孢子，观察并分析气道上皮损伤与脱落、杯状细胞化生以及EGFR表达的动态变化。长期暴露于烟曲霉会加重哮喘大鼠气道上皮细胞损伤，上调EGFR及其配体EGF和TGF-α的表达，促进杯状细胞化生，并增加哮喘大鼠的气道反应性。长期暴露于烟曲霉会上调哮喘大鼠中EGFR及其配体的表达。EGFR通路可能在暴露于烟曲霉诱发的哮喘加重中起作用。
