Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 is Associated with a Frequent Exacerbator Phenotype in COPD: A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory airway disease punctuated by exacerbations (AECOPD). Subjects with frequent AECOPD, defined by having at least two exacerbations per year, experience accelerated loss of lung function, deterioration in quality of life and increase in mortality. Fibroblast growth factor (FGF)23, a hormone associated with systemic inflammation and altered metabolism is elevated in COPD. However, associations between FGF23 and AECOPD are unknown. In this cross-sectional study, individuals with COPD were enrolled between June 2016 and December 2016. Plasma samples were analyzed for intact FGF23 levels. Logistic regression analyses were used to measure associations between clinical variables, FGF23, and the frequent exacerbator phenotype. Our results showed that FGF23 levels were higher in frequent exacerbators as compared to patients without frequent exacerbations. FGF23 was also independently associated with frequent exacerbations (OR 1.02; 95%CI 1.004-1.04; p = 0.017), after adjusting for age, lung function, smoking, and oxygen use. In summary, FGF23 was associated with the frequent exacerbator phenotype and correlated with number of exacerbations recorded retrospectively and prospectively. Further studies are needed to explore the role of FGF 23 as a possible biomarker for AECOPD to better understand the pathobiology of COPD and to help develop therapeutic targets.

[Development of a laminar bioadsorbent with hypertolerant Phanerochaete chrysosporium to Cd, Ni and Pb for wastewater treatment]. / Desarrollo de un bioadsorbente laminar con Phanerochaete chrysosporium hipertolerante al cadmio, al níquel y al plomo para el tratamiento de aguas.

BACKGROUND: The use of basidiomycetes for metal removal is an alternative to traditional methods. In this, the biomass acts as a natural ionic exchanger removing metals from solution. OBJECTIVE: To develop a laminar biosorbent using a basidiomycete fungus resistant to high Cd, Ni and Pb concentrations. METHODS: The tolerance of Trametes versicolor, Pleurotus ostreatus and Phanerochaete chrysosporium was evaluated using increasing concentrations of the heavy metal salts, cadmium sulphate, lead acetate and nickel chloride. A biosorbent system was developed based on polyethylene sheets with a fungal biomass. It was evaluated in bubble columns using synthetic wastewater with the 3 metal salts at a rate of 300 mg/l. Finally, in a complementary experiment using shake flasks, the effect of a higher amount of biomass related to the metal removal efficiency was evaluated. RESULTS: P. chrysosporium strain was more tolerant to C4H6O4Pb (10,000mg/l), Cl2Ni (300mg/l) and CdSO4·8H2O (1,500 mg/l). In a reactor, under non-ligninolytic conditions, the fungus removed 69% of the chemical oxygen demand and produced enzymes such as LiP (0.01 U/l) and MnP (0.6 U/l.). An accumulation of metals in the wall was observed. By increasing the biomass to 1.6 (w/v), the metal biosorption was favored in the mixture (57% Pb, 74% Cd, and 98% Ni) and separately (95% Pb, 60% Cd, and 56% Ni). Competition between Ni and Pb by ligands of the wall was observed. CONCLUSION: A novel laminar system based on P. chrysosporium viable biomass was developed. It has a large surface area and tolerance to high concentrations of Cd, Ni and Pb. It seems to be an alternative for the removal of metals from water.