COPD promotes migration of A549 lung cancer cells: the role of chemokine CCL21

Figures & data

Table 1 Characteristics of COPD patients and healthy volunteers (control group)

	Patients with COPD (n=113)	Control group (n=44)
Male/female (n)	78/35	27/17
Age (years; mean ± SD)	66±8	61±9
Smoking status (n) current/former/nonsmoker	40/70/3	13/11/20
GOLD obstruction stage
Mild (n/%)	4/3.54	N/A
Moderate (n/%)	22/19.47	N/A
Severe (n/%)	43/38.06	N/A
Very severe (n/%)	44/38.93	N/A

Abbreviations: SD, standard deviation; GOLD, Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease; NA, not available.

Figure 1 Efficiency of lung cancer cell migration toward the chemotactic gradient generated by serum from patients with COPD and from healthy volunteers (Con).

Notes: Cancer cell motility was evaluated in two experimental systems, namely, through the PCM and through the BME (A). Migration of the cancer cells in reference to smoking status (B) and obstruction stage (C). The asterisks indicate a significant difference as compared with the control group. The experiment was performed with sera from 32 patients with COPD and from 32 healthy donors. The results are expressed as mean ± SEM.
Abbreviations: BME, basement membrane extract; Con, control; GOLD, Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease; PCM, polycarbonate membrane; RFU, relative fluorescence units; SEM, standard error of the mean.

Figure 2 Effect of COPD on the concentration of chemokine CCL21 in blood serum.

Notes: The chemokine level was analyzed in serum samples from all patients with COPD and healthy donors (A) as well as from donors divided according to smoking status (B) and obstruction stage (C). The asterisks indicate a significant difference as compared with the Con group. The results are derived from the chemokine measurements in sera obtained from 113 patients with COPD and from 44 healthy volunteers. The results are expressed as mean ± SEM.

Abbreviations: Con, control; GOLD, Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease; SEM, standard error of the mean.

Figure 3 Effect of COPD on the concentration of chemokine CXCL5 in blood serum.

Notes: The chemokine level was analyzed in serum samples from all patients with COPD and healthy donors (A) as well as from donors divided according to smoking status (B) and obstruction stage (C). The results are derived from the chemokine measurements in sera obtained from 112 patients with COPD and from 44 healthy volunteers. The results are expressed as mean ± SEM.

Abbreviations: Con, control; GOLD, Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease; SEM, standard error of the mean.

Figure 4 Effect of COPD on the concentration of chemokine CXCL12 in blood serum.

Notes: The chemokine level was analyzed in serum samples from all patients with COPD and healthy donors (A) as well as from donors divided according to smoking status (B) and obstruction stage (C). The asterisks indicate a significant difference as compared with the Con group. The results are derived from the chemokine measurements in sera obtained from 92 patients with COPD and from 44 healthy volunteers. The results are expressed as mean ± SEM.
Abbreviations: Con, control; GOLD, Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease; SEM, standard error of the mean.

Figure 5 Efficiency of lung cancer cell migration upon neutralization of CCL21- and CXCL12-related signaling.

Notes: The asterisk indicates a significant difference as compared with the Con group. The hashes (#) indicate a significant difference as compared with cells exposed to serum from patients with COPD not subjected to CCL21/CXCL12 signaling neutralization. The experiment was performed with sera from 25 patients with COPD and from 25 healthy volunteers. The results are expressed as mean ± SEM.
Abbreviations: Con, control; RFU, relative fluorescence units; SEM, standard error of the mean.