Severe Reduction in Number and Function of Peripheral T Cells Does Not Afford Protection toward Emphysema and Bronchial Remodeling Induced in Mice by Cigarette Smoke.

Severe Reduction in Number and Function of Peripheral T Cells Does Not Afford Protection toward Emphysema and Bronchial Remodeling Induced in Mice by Cigarette Smoke. Am J Pathol. 2016 May 5; Authors: De C.o G, Lunghi B, Bartalesi B, Cavarra E, Fineschi S, Ulivieri C, Lungarella G, Lucattelli M Abstract The protein Lck (p56(Lck)) is a Src family tyrosine kinase expressed at all stages of thymocyte development and is required for maturation of T cells. The targeted disruption of Lck gene in mice results in severe block in thymocyte maturation with substantial reduction in the development of CD4(+)CD8(+) thymocytes, severe reduction of peripheral T cells, and disruption of T-cell receptor signaling with defective function of T-cell responses. To investigate the role of T lymphocyte in the development of cigarette smoke-induced pulmonary changes, Lck(-/-) mice and corresponding congenic wild-type mice were chronically exposed to cigarette smoke, and their lungs were analyzed by biochemical, immunologic, and morphometric methods. Smoking mice from both genotypes showed disseminated foci of emphysema and large areas of goblet cell metaplasia in bronchial and bronchiolar epithelium. Morphometric evaluation of lung changes and lung elastin determination confirmed that mice from both genotypes showed the same degree of emphysematous lesions. Thus, cigarette smoke exposure in the presence of severe reduction in number and function of peripher...
Source: The American Journal of Pathology - Category: Pathology Authors: Tags: Am J Pathol Source Type: research