Plasma LL-37 levels were significantly lower while plasma NF-κB levels of the COPD patients were significantly higher than those of the control subjects (<i>P</i><0.001, both).
Inhaled budesonide and LL-37 were consequently applied to COPD models separately or collectively to confirm the effects on inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α and transforming growth factor [TGF]-β) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and lung tissue histopathological morphology.
In stable COPD, high sputum hCAP18/LL-37 levels were associated with increased risk of AECOPD, non-typeable <i>Haemophilus influenzae</i> colonisation, higher age, ex-smoking and higher levels of inflammatory markers.Altered levels of selected AMPs are linked to airway inflammation, infection and AECOPD, suggesting a role for these peptides in airway defence mechanisms in COPD.
CAP18 levels were elevated in CF and COPD patients compared to control subjects, while asthma patients had reduced CAP18 levels. uPA levels were similar but uPAR was elevated in CF and COPD patients more so than in asthma patients, while PAI-1 levels were elevated in all three disease groups.