[Studies on insulin-like growth factor-I expression in human lower airways]. / Badania nad ekspresja insulinopodobnego czynnika wzrostu I w dolnych drogach oddechowych u ludzi.

ABSTRACT

UNLABELLED Antisense techniques that inhibit intracellular expression of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) were efficient in gene therapy of some tumor diseases. IGF-I in the airways is considered to induce lung fibrosis in interstitial lung diseases, inhibit apoptosis of epithelial cells and participate in local carcinogenesis. AIM OF THE STUDY The aim of the study was--by examining the IGF-I expression in the lower airways--to evaluate preliminary the efficacy of anti-IGF-I antisense technicques in the treatment of airways diseases. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The IGF-I expression was examined in the reverse transcriptase--polimerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) applied to A549 human cell line, that is representative for lower airway epithelium and exemplifies the model of bronchioloalveolar adenocarcinoma. IGF-I expression in non-neoplastic lower airways cells was assessed by immunocytochemical staining (anti-IGF-I) in cytological materials originating from bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) of sarcoidosis and asbestosis patients and in individuals free of lung pathology. RESULTS: The IGF-I expression was detected in A549 cells with use of RT-PCR method (3 independent probes). In BAL cytological specimens the appearance of IGF-I was found, mainly in alveolar macrophages (62 +/- 6, 5 in sarcoidosis vs. 36 +/- 6 in controls, p=0,09), as well as in BAL lymphocytes. CONCLUSIONS: Summing up, the antisense technicques, blocking the intracellular IGF-I expression may be potentially useful in treatment of selected lower airways, both tumor (non-small cell lung carcinoma) and non-tumor (ILD complicated with lung fibrosis) conditions.