Plasma sphingolipids associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease phenotypes.

Rationale: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) occurs in a minority of smokers and is characterized by intermittent exacerbations and clinical subphenotypes such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Although sphingolipids as a class are implicated in the pathogenesis of COPD, the particular sphingolipid species associated with COPD subphenotypes remain unknown.

Objectives: To use mass spectrometry to determine which plasma sphingolipids are associated with subphenotypes of COPD.

Peripheral blood mononuclear cell gene expression in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Although most cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) occur in smokers, only a fraction of smokers develop the disease. We hypothesized distinct molecular signatures for COPD and emphysema in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of current and former smokers. To test this hypothesis, we identified and validated PBMC gene expression profiles in smokers with and without COPD.

Circulating RNA transcripts identify therapeutic response in cystic fibrosis lung disease.

Rationale: Circulating leukocyte RNA transcripts are systemic markers of inflammation, which have not been studied in cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease. Although the standard assessment of pulmonary treatment response is FEV(1), a measure of airflow limitation, the lack of systemic markers to reflect changes in lung inflammation critically limits the testing of proposed therapeutics.

Objectives: We sought to prospectively identify and validate peripheral blood leukocyte genes that could mark resolution of pulmonary infection and inflammation using a model by which RNA transcripts could increase the predictive value of spirometry.