Sustained elevation of systemic oxidative stress and inflammation in exacerbation and remission of asthma.

Oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of asthma. We aimed at investigating the biomarkers of oxidative stress, inflammation, and tissue damage in patients with asthma in acute exacerbation and remission. We recruited 18 asthmatics admitted to hospital with acute exacerbation and 18 healthy nonsmoking controls matched for age.

Chinese green tea ameliorates lung injury in cigarette smoke-exposed rats.

Background: Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which has been shown to have potent antioxidant effect, comprises 80% of catechins in Chinese green tea. This study was to investigate whether cigarette smoke (CS) exposure would induce lung morphological changes and oxidative stress in the CS-exposed rat model, and whether Chinese green tea (Lung Chen tea with EGCG as its main active ingredient) consumption would alter oxidative stress in sera and lung leading to protection of CS-induced lung damage.

Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups, i.

Elevated plasma TGF-beta1 levels in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: Transforming growth factor-beta(1) (TGF-beta(1)), a multifunctional cytokine, has been implicated to be responsible for the increased deposition of extracellular matrix in the airways, and increased submucosal collagen expression in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We determined plasma TGF-beta(1) levels in patients with COPD and explored its association with common functional polymorphisms of TGF-beta(1) gene at C-509T and T869C in the development of COPD in a case-control study.

Methods: Stable COPD patients who were ever smokers, and age and pack-years smoked matched healthy controls (n = 205 in each group) were recruited for measurement of plasma TGF-beta(1) levels using commercially available ELISA kit, and genotyped at C-509T and T869C functional polymorphisms of TGF-beta(1) gene using polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP).

Analysis of TGF-beta(1) gene polymorphisms in Hong Kong Chinese patients with asthma.

Background: The C-509T polymorphism of TGF-beta(1) gene has been associated with asthma and atopy in white populations.

Objective: We investigated the association between asthma and previously identified polymorphisms at C-509T and T869C of the TGF-beta(1) gene among 250 Chinese patients with asthma and 308 healthy controls in Hong Kong.

Methods: Genotyping was performed on peripheral blood genomic DNA by using PCR-RFLP.

Elevated levels of transforming growth factor-beta(1) in serum of patients with stable bronchiectasis.

Bronchiectasis is a chronic inflammatory and infective airway disease characterized by irreversible dilatation of the bronchi and persistent purulent sputum. Transforming growth factor-beta(1) (TGF-beta(1)) has been found to be increased in the lungs or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of patients with inflammatory lung diseases. However, little is known on the serum TGF-beta(1) levels in patients with bronchiectasis.

Antioxidant enzyme activities in healthy Chinese adults: influence of age, gender and smoking.

Objective: Specific antioxidant enzymes play a vital role in regulating and maintaining oxidant species. The aim of this study was to determine these antioxidant enzyme activities (i.e.

Systemic oxidative and antioxidative status in Chinese patients with asthma.

Background: Patients with asthma generate an increased amount of reactive oxygen species from peripheral blood cells. Reactive oxygen species produce many of the pathophysiologic changes associated with asthma and may contribute to its pathogenesis.

Objective: We investigated changes in antioxidant enzyme activities and oxidized glutathione (glutathione disulfide; GSSG) levels in erythrocytes from a group of healthy control Chinese subjects (n=135) and patients with asthma (n=106).

Lung cancer susceptibility and polymorphisms of glutathione-S-transferase genes in Hong Kong.

Objective: To study the potential role of genetic polymorphisms of glutathione-S-transferases GSTM1, GSTT1 and GSTP1 in susceptibility to lung cancer in Hong Kong Chinese.

Methods: 229 consecutive incident patients with a histological diagnosis of lung cancer from a regional hospital and 197 healthy population-based controls were recruited for this study between July 1999 and June 2001. Genetic polymorphisms of GSTT1 and GSTM1 were determined using PCR-based technique.