The Open Pathology Journal

2010, 4 : 23-29
Published online 2010 April 15. DOI: 0.2174/1874375701004010023
Publisher ID: TOPATJ-4-23

Telomere Shortening in Alveolar Macrophages of Smokers and COPD Patients

Katsuyuki Tomita , Gaetano Caramori , Kazuhiro Ito , Sam Lim , Hiroyuki Sano , Yuji Tohda , Ian M. Adcock and Peter J.. Barnes
Department of Respiratory Medicine and Allergology, Kinki University School of Medicine, 377-2 Ohno-higashi, Osakasayama 589-8511, Japan;

ABSTRACT

Background:

Tobacco smoking is reported to enhance telomere shortening in peripheral blood lymphocytes. However, telomere length of lung resident cells such as alveolar macrophages (AMs) has not been evaluated.

Aim:

We evaluated effect of tobacco smoking on telomere length in AMs.

Methods:

AMs were obtained from nine non-smokers (mean age 24.6 years, mean FEV1/FVC 93.8%) and ten healthy smokers (mean age 25.2 years, >10 pack-years, mean FEV1/FVC 90.6%). We also analyzed tissue macrophages from eight moderate to severe COPD patients (mean age 68.3 years, >10 pack-years, mean FEV1/FVC 54.2%, mean %pred. FEV1 48.8%), age-matched nine healthy smokers (mean age 67.1 years, >10 pack- years, mean FEV1/FVC 83.7%, mean % pred. FEV1 82.4%), and eight healthy non-smokers (mean age 71.2 years, mean FEV1/FVC 84.6%, mean %pred. FEV1 84.1%). Centromere signals and telomere length were analysed using quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization (QFISH) and confocal microscopy.

Results:

Telomere length was reduced in bronchoalveolar lavage macrophages of younger smokers compared with that observed in healthy non-smoker’s AMs, Importantly, there was no quantitative difference in centromere signals between smokers and non-smokers. A shorter telomere length was also seen in tissue macrophages from older smokers with or without COPD compared with non-smokers. However there was no difference in telomere length between healthy smokers and smokers with COPD.

Conclusion:

Tobacco smoking enhances telomere shortening in AMs from patients with and without COPD.

Keywords:

Alveolar macrophages, COPD, senescence, smoking, telomere length. .