Genetic variants of CDH13 determine the susceptibility to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in a Chinese population.

Aim: Adiponectin has been implicated in the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The CDH13 gene encodes T-cadherin that is an adiponectin receptor, and genetic variants of CDH13 determine blood adiponectin levels. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of CDH13 variants on COPD susceptibility in a Chinese population.

Activation of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) in the lung of smoking-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) rats.

Objectives: To explore the role of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) in the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) induced by chronic exposure to cigarette smoke.

Methods: 48 healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into four groups (12/group): control group (group A); inhibitor alone group (group B); cigarette induction group (group C); cigarette induction + inhibitor group (group D). After the establishment of smoking-induced PAH rat model, the right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) was detected using an inserted catheter; western blotting was used to detect the protein expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE); expression levels of angiotensin II (AngII) in lung tissue were measured by radioimmunoassay.