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Increased myoepithelial cells of bronchial submucosal glands in fatal asthma.
Thorax. 2010 Jan; 65(1):32-8.T

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Fatal asthma is characterised by enlargement of bronchial mucous glands and tenacious plugs of mucus in the airway lumen. Myoepithelial cells, located within the mucous glands, contain contractile proteins which provide structural support to mucous cells and actively facilitate glandular secretion.

OBJECTIVES

To determine if myoepithelial cells are increased in the bronchial submucosal glands of patients with fatal asthma.

METHODS

Autopsied lungs from 12 patients with fatal asthma (FA), 12 patients with asthma dying of non-respiratory causes (NFA) and 12 non-asthma control cases (NAC) were obtained through the Prairie Provinces Asthma Study. Transverse sections of segmental bronchi from three lobes were stained for mucus and smooth muscle actin and the area fractions of mucous plugs, mucous glands and myoepithelial cells determined by point counting. The fine structure of the myoepithelial cells was examined by electron microscopy.

RESULTS

FA was characterised by significant increases in mucous gland (p = 0.003), mucous plug (p = 0.004) and myoepithelial cell areas (p = 0.017) compared with NAC. When the ratio of myoepithelial cell area to total gland area was examined, there was a disproportionate and significant increase in FA compared with NAC (p = 0.014). Electron microscopy of FA cases revealed hypertrophy of the myoepithelial cells with increased intracellular myofilaments. The NFA group showed changes in these features that were intermediate between the FA and NAC groups but the differences were not significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Bronchial mucous glands and mucous gland myoepithelial cell smooth muscle actin are increased in fatal asthma and may contribute to asphyxia due to mucous plugging.

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Authors+Show Affiliations

Green FH
Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada. fgreen@ucalgary.ca
Williams DJ
No affiliation info available
James A
No affiliation info available
McPhee LJ
No affiliation info available
Mitchell I
No affiliation info available
Mauad T
No affiliation info available

MeSH

AdultAsthmaAutopsyBronchiEpithelial CellsExocrine GlandsFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedMucusRespiratory MucosaYoung Adult

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article
Multicenter Study
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Language

eng

PubMed ID

19996346

Citation

Green, F H Y., et al. "Increased Myoepithelial Cells of Bronchial Submucosal Glands in Fatal Asthma." Thorax, vol. 65, no. 1, 2010, pp. 32-8.
Green FH, Williams DJ, James A, et al. Increased myoepithelial cells of bronchial submucosal glands in fatal asthma. Thorax. 2010;65(1):32-8.
Green, F. H., Williams, D. J., James, A., McPhee, L. J., Mitchell, I., & Mauad, T. (2010). Increased myoepithelial cells of bronchial submucosal glands in fatal asthma. Thorax, 65(1), 32-8. https://doi.org/10.1136/thx.2008.111435
Green FH, et al. Increased Myoepithelial Cells of Bronchial Submucosal Glands in Fatal Asthma. Thorax. 2010;65(1):32-8. PubMed PMID: 19996346.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Increased myoepithelial cells of bronchial submucosal glands in fatal asthma. AU - Green,F H Y, AU - Williams,D J, AU - James,A, AU - McPhee,L J, AU - Mitchell,I, AU - Mauad,T, Y1 - 2009/12/08/ PY - 2009/12/10/entrez PY - 2009/12/10/pubmed PY - 2010/4/20/medline SP - 32 EP - 8 JF - Thorax JO - Thorax VL - 65 IS - 1 N2 - BACKGROUND: Fatal asthma is characterised by enlargement of bronchial mucous glands and tenacious plugs of mucus in the airway lumen. Myoepithelial cells, located within the mucous glands, contain contractile proteins which provide structural support to mucous cells and actively facilitate glandular secretion. OBJECTIVES: To determine if myoepithelial cells are increased in the bronchial submucosal glands of patients with fatal asthma. METHODS: Autopsied lungs from 12 patients with fatal asthma (FA), 12 patients with asthma dying of non-respiratory causes (NFA) and 12 non-asthma control cases (NAC) were obtained through the Prairie Provinces Asthma Study. Transverse sections of segmental bronchi from three lobes were stained for mucus and smooth muscle actin and the area fractions of mucous plugs, mucous glands and myoepithelial cells determined by point counting. The fine structure of the myoepithelial cells was examined by electron microscopy. RESULTS: FA was characterised by significant increases in mucous gland (p = 0.003), mucous plug (p = 0.004) and myoepithelial cell areas (p = 0.017) compared with NAC. When the ratio of myoepithelial cell area to total gland area was examined, there was a disproportionate and significant increase in FA compared with NAC (p = 0.014). Electron microscopy of FA cases revealed hypertrophy of the myoepithelial cells with increased intracellular myofilaments. The NFA group showed changes in these features that were intermediate between the FA and NAC groups but the differences were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Bronchial mucous glands and mucous gland myoepithelial cell smooth muscle actin are increased in fatal asthma and may contribute to asphyxia due to mucous plugging. SN - 1468-3296 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/19996346/Increased_myoepithelial_cells_of_bronchial_submucosal_glands_in_fatal_asthma_ L2 - https://thorax.bmj.com/lookup/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=19996346 DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -