The role of small heat-shock protein αB-crystalline (HspB5) in COPD pathogenesis.

Background: αB-crystallin (HspB5) is a chaperone whose role as a marker of innate immunity activation as well as its therapeutic potential have recently been investigated in several inflammatory diseases: multiple sclerosis, myocardial ischemia, and Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the role of αB-crystallin in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) pathogenesis and inflammation.

Materials: Plasma levels of αB-crystallin were studied in 163 patients: 52 healthy non-COPD smokers; 20 COPD smokers in Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stages I-II; 43 COPD smokers in GOLD stages III-IV.

The age-related changes in the incidence of 'natural' anti-sperm antibodies suggest they are not auto-/isoantibodies.

Problem: Establishing the age-dependent patterns of sperm antibody levels among normal humans.

Methods Of Study: Sera samples from 498 healthy subjects aged 0-97 years - 246 males and 252 females - were tested by the gelatin agglutination test of Kibrick, tray agglutination test of Friberg, sperm immobilization test of Isojima and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Results: We found a significant increase in the level of sperm agglutinins after 40 years, which decreased after 88 years.