Expression data of small airway epithelium from phenotypically normal smokers and non-smokers

Modification of Gene Expression of the Small Airway Epithelium in Response to Cigarette Smoking The earliest morphologic evidence of changes in the airways associated with chronic cigarette smoking is in the small airways. To help understand how smoking modifies small airway structure and function, we developed a strategy using fiberoptic bronchoscopy and brushing to sample the human small airway (10th-12th order) bronchial epithelium to assess gene expression (HG-133 Plus 2.0 array) in phenotypically normal smokers (n=10, 33 ± 7 pack-yr) compared to matched non-smokers (n=12). Even though the smokers were phenotypically normal, analysis of the small airway epithelium of the smokers compared to the non-smokers demonstrated up- and -down-regulation of genes in multiple categories relevant to the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD), including genes coding for cytokines/innate immunity, apoptosis, mucin, response to oxidants and xenobiotics, and general cellular processes. In the context that COPD starts in the small airways, these gene expression changes in the small airway epithelium in phenotypically normal smokers are candidates for the development of therapeutic strategies to prevent the onset of COPD. Keywords: smokers vs non-smokers comparison of gene expression in airway epithelial cells of the small airways of healthy smokers vs healthy non-smokers