Figure 2
Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and TRAIL receptor messenger RNA (mRNA) levels increase in human chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Parenchymal cores or airway epithelial cells were collected from human COPD patients. TRAIL mRNA expression was assessed by microarray profiling in (a) airway epithelial brushings from patients with the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stage I or II disease compared with nonsmokers (NS) and healthy smokers without COPD (smoker) and (b) parenchyma from non-COPD controls or patients with severe COPD. mRNA expression of TRAIL receptors (c) death receptor (DR)4, (d) DR5, (e) decoy receptor (DcR)1, and (f) DcR2 in airway epithelium from patients with early-stage, GOLDI and GOLDII stage COPD compared with NS and healthy smokers without COPD. The numbers in the figures represent the false discovery rate (FDR). *FDR vs. NS, #FDR vs. smokers.
