Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Expression Levels of MUC5AC and MUC5B in Airway Goblet Cells Are Associated with Traits of COPD and Progression of Chronic Airflow Limitation

Pincikova, Terezia ; Merikallio, Heta ; Kotortsi, Ioanna ; Karimi, Reza ; Li, Chuan-Xing ; Lappi-Blanco, Elisa ; Lindén, Sara K ; Padra, Médea LU orcid ; Wheelock, Åsa M and Nyrén, Sven , et al. (2024) In International Journal of Molecular Sciences 25(24). p.1-16
Abstract

Mucins 5AC (MUC5AC) and 5B (MUC5B) are the major mucins providing the organizing framework for the airway's mucus gel. We retrieved bronchial mucosal biopsies and bronchial wash (BW) samples through bronchoscopy from patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (n = 38), healthy never-smokers (n = 40), and smokers with normal lung function (n = 40). The expression of MUC5AC and MUC5B was assessed immunohistochemically. The mucin concentrations in BW were determined using the slot-blot technique. The immunohistochemical expression of MUC5AC and MUC5B was localized to goblet cells and submucosal glands. Smokers had higher MUC5AC and lower MUC5B goblet cell expression and higher concentrations of soluble MUC5AC in BW than... (More)

Mucins 5AC (MUC5AC) and 5B (MUC5B) are the major mucins providing the organizing framework for the airway's mucus gel. We retrieved bronchial mucosal biopsies and bronchial wash (BW) samples through bronchoscopy from patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (n = 38), healthy never-smokers (n = 40), and smokers with normal lung function (n = 40). The expression of MUC5AC and MUC5B was assessed immunohistochemically. The mucin concentrations in BW were determined using the slot-blot technique. The immunohistochemical expression of MUC5AC and MUC5B was localized to goblet cells and submucosal glands. Smokers had higher MUC5AC and lower MUC5B goblet cell expression and higher concentrations of soluble MUC5AC in BW than never-smokers. The MUC5B expression in goblet cells correlated positively with expiratory air flows, diffusing capacity, and the dyspnoea score. Chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and the progression of chronic airflow limitation during a median follow-up time of 8.4 years were associated with higher MUC5AC and lower MUC5B expression in goblet cells. Sustainers, slow progressors, and rapid progressors of airflow obstruction differed in their MUC5B expression at baseline. Emphysema and bronchial wall thickening on CT at a follow-up visit were associated with lower MUC5B expression at baseline. Our findings strengthen the hypothesis that MUC5AC and MUC5B are yet another contributing factor to smoking-associated lung disease progression.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and , et al. (More)
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and (Less)
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
keywords
Humans, Mucin 5AC/metabolism, Mucin-5B/metabolism, Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/metabolism, Goblet Cells/metabolism, Male, Female, Middle Aged, Aged, Disease Progression, Smoking/adverse effects
in
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
volume
25
issue
24
article number
13653
pages
1 - 16
publisher
MDPI AG
external identifiers
  • scopus:85213222094
  • pmid:39769414
ISSN
1422-0067
DOI
10.3390/ijms252413653
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
9b24b6c2-ffd9-4671-b232-65863e15f2e0
date added to LUP
2026-09-02 12:08:53
date last changed
2026-10-01 17:14:37
@article{9b24b6c2-ffd9-4671-b232-65863e15f2e0,
  abstract     = {{<p>Mucins 5AC (MUC5AC) and 5B (MUC5B) are the major mucins providing the organizing framework for the airway's mucus gel. We retrieved bronchial mucosal biopsies and bronchial wash (BW) samples through bronchoscopy from patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (n = 38), healthy never-smokers (n = 40), and smokers with normal lung function (n = 40). The expression of MUC5AC and MUC5B was assessed immunohistochemically. The mucin concentrations in BW were determined using the slot-blot technique. The immunohistochemical expression of MUC5AC and MUC5B was localized to goblet cells and submucosal glands. Smokers had higher MUC5AC and lower MUC5B goblet cell expression and higher concentrations of soluble MUC5AC in BW than never-smokers. The MUC5B expression in goblet cells correlated positively with expiratory air flows, diffusing capacity, and the dyspnoea score. Chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and the progression of chronic airflow limitation during a median follow-up time of 8.4 years were associated with higher MUC5AC and lower MUC5B expression in goblet cells. Sustainers, slow progressors, and rapid progressors of airflow obstruction differed in their MUC5B expression at baseline. Emphysema and bronchial wall thickening on CT at a follow-up visit were associated with lower MUC5B expression at baseline. Our findings strengthen the hypothesis that MUC5AC and MUC5B are yet another contributing factor to smoking-associated lung disease progression.</p>}},
  author       = {{Pincikova, Terezia and Merikallio, Heta and Kotortsi, Ioanna and Karimi, Reza and Li, Chuan-Xing and Lappi-Blanco, Elisa and Lindén, Sara K and Padra, Médea and Wheelock, Åsa M and Nyrén, Sven and Sköld, Carl Magnus and Kaarteenaho, Riitta L}},
  issn         = {{1422-0067}},
  keywords     = {{Humans; Mucin 5AC/metabolism; Mucin-5B/metabolism; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/metabolism; Goblet Cells/metabolism; Male; Female; Middle Aged; Aged; Disease Progression; Smoking/adverse effects}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{12}},
  number       = {{24}},
  pages        = {{1--16}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Molecular Sciences}},
  title        = {{Expression Levels of MUC5AC and MUC5B in Airway Goblet Cells Are Associated with Traits of COPD and Progression of Chronic Airflow Limitation}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms252413653}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/ijms252413653}},
  volume       = {{25}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}