Expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α in pulmonary tissues from patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

AIM：To study the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) in pulmonary tissues from patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) μg/L and its effects on the pathogenesis of COPD. METHODS：Pulmonary tissues were obtained from 32 subjects (16 patients with COPD and 16 without COPD as controls) who were undergoing single or bilateral lobectomy or wedge resection for lung cancer. The specimens were obtained as far away from the cancer foci (≥8 cm) as possible. The expression of HIF-1α protein in pulmonary tissues was measured by Western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS：The expression of HIF-1α protein in pulmonary tissues from controls and COPD patients was as follows: (0.96±0.43) μg/L and (0.16±0.07) μg/L (ELISA， P<0.05); 0.71±0.22 and 0.53±0.15 (Western blotting, P<0.05). Furthermore, the level of HIF-1α protein in pulmonary tissues from mild and moderate COPD patients was obviously higher than that from severe COPD patients (P<0.05). CONCLUSION：HIF-1α may play an important role in the progress of COPD.