Gesteigerte Expression des Lymphozyten-Transkriptionsfaktor T-bet bei COPD

Rationale: Lymphocytes are involved in cellular mechanisms underlying bronchial asthma and COPD. Whereas the T-cell-associated inflammatory and remodelling process in allergic asthma is characterized by elevated numbers of CD4-positive Th2-lymphocytes with impaired t-bet expression, CD8-positive Th1-lymphocytes are predominant in the airways of COPD patients. Objective: We hypothesized that T-bet expression is increased in COPD. Methods: Surgical surplus tissue of COPD patients (n=58, GOLD stage 0 (n=9), 1 (n=13), 2+3 (n=11), 4 (n=25)), lung transplantation donors (served as “normal“ control, n=11), and alpha1-P…