Mouse Anti-Human SELE Hybridoma [I29/8]

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by multiple cellular and structural changes affecting the airways, lung parenchyma and vasculature, some of which are also identified in smokers without COPD. The molecular mechanisms underlying these changes remain poorly understood. With the aim of identifying mediators potentially implicated in the pathogenic processes that occur in COPD and their potential relationship with cigarette smoking, we evaluated the mRNA expression of genes involved in inflammation, tissue remodeling and vessel maintenance. Lung tissue samples were obtained from 60 patients who underwent lung resection (nonsmokers, n = 12; smokers, n = 12; and moderate COPD, n = 21) or lung transplant (severe-to-very severe COPD, n = 15). PCR arrays containing 42 genes coding for growth factors/receptors, cytokines, metalloproteinases, adhesion molecules, and vessel maintenance mediators were used. Smoking-induced changes include the up-regulation of inflammatory genes (IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-8, CCL2, and CCL8) and the decreased expression of growth factor/receptor genes (BMPR2, CTGF, FGF1, KDR and TEK) and genes coding for vessel maintenance factors (EDNR8). All these genes exhibited a similar profile in moderate COPD patients. The up-regulation of MMP1 and MMP9 was the main change associated with COPD. Inflammatory genes as well as the endothelial selectin gene (SELE) were down-regulated in patients with more severe COPD. Clustering analysis revealed a closer relationship between moderate COPD and smokers than between both subsets of COPD patients for this selected set of genes. The study reveals striking similarities between smokers and COPD patients with moderate disease emphasizing the crucial role of cigarette smoking in the genesis of these changes, and provides additional evidence of the involvement of the matrix metalloproteinase's in the remodeling process of the lung in COPD. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In recent years, polymer nanocomposites (PNCs) have attracted the attention of scientists and technologists in water purification due to improved processability, surface area, stability, tunable properties, and cost effectiveness. PNCs showed fast decontamination ability with high sele-ctivity to remove various pollutants. This review provides up-to-date information about the importance of PNCs in the removal of metal ions, dyes, and microorganism from polluted water. The general methodology for preparation and properties of nanocomposites with reference to PNCs is given. Different adsorption isotherm and kinetic models along with thermodynamic parameters for adsorption have been discussed.