Parental COPD as a Risk Factor for the Development of COPD and Disease Severity in Offspring: A Systematic Scoping Review

Nrf2/HO-1 signaling activation alleviates cigarette smoke-induced inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by suppressing NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis

BACKGROUND

This study examined the effect of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) pathway on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the potential molecular mechanism.

METHODS

A COPD mouse model was established by cigarette smoke exposure and administered with either ML385 or dimethyl fumarate (DMF). Airway resistance of mice was detected. IL-1β and IL-6 levels in mice alveolar lavage fluid were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemical of lung tissues were utilized to detect lung injury and NLRP3 expression. DMF was used to treat COPD cell model constructed by exposing normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells to cigarette smoke extract. NHBE cells were transfected by NLRP3-expression vectors. Expression of proteins was detected by Western blot.

RESULTS

COPD mice showed the enhanced airway resistance, the inactivated Nrf2/HO-1 pathway and the overexpressed NLRP3, Caspase-1 and GSDMD-N proteins in lung tissues, and the increased IL-1β and IL-6 levels in alveolar lavage fluid. ML385 treatment augmented these indicators and lung injury in COPD mice. However, DMF intervention attenuated these indicators and lung injury in COPD mice. Nrf2/HO-1 pathway inactivation and overexpression of NLRP3, Caspase-1 and GSDMD-N proteins were observed in COPD cells. DMF intervention activated Nrf2/HO-1 pathway and down-regulated NLRP3, Caspase-1 and GSDMD-N proteins in COPD cells. However, NLRP3 overexpression abolished the effect of DMF on COPD cells.

CONCLUSION

Nrf2/HO-1 pathway activation may alleviate inflammation in COPD by suppressing the NLRP3-related pyroptosis. Activating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway may be an effective method to treat COPD.

Prevalence, risk factors, and mortality of COPD in young people in the USA: results from a population-based retrospective cohort

BACKGROUND

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been considered a disease of the elderly, but it could also occur in young people aged 20-50 years. However, the characteristics and prognosis of COPD in such young people remain unclear.

METHODS

Our retrospective cohort study was based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Participants who 20-50 years old at baseline and completed the pulmonary function test were enrolled in our study cohort. These participants were followed up to 31 December 2019. The sample weight and Taylor Linearization Procedures were adapted to make representative estimations of prevalence and baseline characteristics. The weighted logistic regression model was used to assess the risk factors. The propensity score method and Cox proportional hazard models were applied to calculate the risk of mortality.

RESULTS

The weighted prevalence of COPD in young people in the USA was 1.64% and it increased with age, with a higher prevalence in males than females (2.59% vs 0.72%, p<0.001). The proportion of Global Initiative for COPD 1-2 was 96.7%. Males (OR=4.56, 95% CI: 2.74 to 7.61), non-Hispanic black (OR=2.77; 95% CI: 1.14 to 6.75), non-Hispanic white (OR=4.93; 95% CI: 2.16 to 11.28) and smoking (current smoking, OR=2.36; 95% CI: 1.40 to 3.98; ever smoking, OR=1.92; 95% CI: 1.05 to 3.51; passive smoking, OR=2.12; 95% CI: 1.41 to 3.20) were shown to be independent risk factors for COPD in young people. Compared with those matched by sex, age and race, the young people with COPD had a higher risk of all-cause death (HR=3.314, p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

COPD in young people has a low prevalence in the USA and its independent risk factors included male, race (non-Hispanic black and non-Hispanic white) and smoking. Young COPD has a higher risk of all-cause mortality than the matched non-COPD.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors in Adults Aged 40 Years and Older in Southeast China: A Cross-Sectional Study During 2019-2020

Purpose

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of many major public health problems in China, and its prevalence and associated risk factors in the southeast of China need to be determined to facilitate disease control and prevention.

Methods

A multistage stratified cluster sampling method was used to select 5486 participants aged ≥ 40 years from nine COPD monitoring districts in Fujian Province during 2019–2020. Participants were interviewed using a laptop-based questionnaire and underwent pulmonary function tests. COPD was diagnosed according to the 2019 Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) criteria.

Results

Final analysis was conducted using data from 4999 participants with qualified post-bronchodilator results. The prevalence of COPD was 11.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 10.5–12.7). Risk factors for COPD in the logistic regression model were being male (odds ratio [OR] = 2.83, 95% CI: 2.01–3.98), > 70 years old (OR = 16.16, 95% CI: 8.14–32.08), having a low body mass index (BMI) (OR = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.13–2.89), parental history of respiratory disease (OR = 1.78, 95% CI: 1.50–2.10), being a current (OR = 2.82, 95% CI: 1.83–4.36) or former (OR = 2.47, 95% CI: 1.45–4.19) smoker, and indoor exposure to biomass (OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.05–1.58).

Conclusion

The estimated prevalence of COPD in southeast China is high. COPD was strongly associated with sex, aging, a low BMI, parental history of respiratory diseases, smoking, and indoor exposure to biomass in adults aged ≥ 40 years. The government should urgently implement comprehensive measures to reduce the risk factors for COPD.