Fung, PCW

Ho, JCM

Lam, WK

Leung, YH

Liong, E

Shum, IH

Tipoe, GL

Tsang, KWT

Yan, C

Zheng, L

Hong Kong Medical Journal

HKU Scholars Hub

TitleDown-expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) andendothelial (Enos) proteins and mRNA iNOS in bronchiectasis invivoAuthor(s) Tipoe, GL; Liong, E; Zheng, L; Leung, YH; Shum, IH; Ho, JCM;Yan, C; Fung, PCW; Lam, WK; Tsang, KWTCitationThe 8th Medical Research Conference Abstracts, Hong KongMedical Journal, Hong Kong, China, 25-26 January 2003, v. 9 n. 1Supp 1, p. 91Issued Date 2003URL http://hdl.handle.net/10722/45659Rights Creative Commons: Attribution 3.0 Hong Kong LicenseHKMJ Vol 9 No 1 February 2003 Supplement      91Down-expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and endothelial (Enos)proteins and mRNA iNOS in bronchiectasis in vivoGL Tipoe, E Liong, L Zheng, R Leung, IH Shum, JC Ho, C Yan, PC Fung, WK Lam, KW Tsang. Depts of Anatomyand Medicine and, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.Introduction: We have recently reported a lowering of exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) production in bronchiectasisamong patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. The precise mechanism(s) and occurrence of reduction ineNO production, which potentially correlates ciliary beat frequency and other mechanisms for host defence in theairways, have not been investigated.Methods: We have determined the expression of inducible (iNOS) and constitutive (eNOS) nitric oxide synthase(NOS) proteins including mRNA iNOS in endobronchial biopsies (EBB) obtained from 10 stable patients withidiopathic bronchiectasis (age= 54.1 ±14.4 yrs; FEV1 63.4 ±18.0%; FVC 65.6 ±18.1%; 24h sputum 12.8±1.2 ml),and 10 control subjects who underwent bronchoscopy for suspected bronchial carcinoma (age=60.6 ±11.2 yrs).Samples were fixed and processed routinely for histology under standardized protocols. Four mm paraffin sectionswere stained with iNOS and eNOS antibodies using DAKO Envision Kits. Intensity of immunoreactivity (luminancei.e. darker stain had lower grey scale value) was quantified using a Leica QWIN Image Analyser. Riboprobes forhuman iNOS were used for non-isotopic in-situ hybridization (Roche).Results: Our results showed that iNOS and eNOS protein expressions were significantly down-regulated (p<0.05)in bronchiectatic mucosa (n=10; 175.5±2.1; 168.6±2.3 respectively) when compared with controls (145.2±2.5;145.5±2.2). mRNA iNOS expression was lower in the bronchiectasis than in control non-bronchiectasis.Conclusions: We conclude that iNOS and eNOS expressions are down-expressed in stable bronchiectasis patients.This down-regulation of eNO production is theoretically related to chronic infective state of the bronchiectaticairways, and has major implications in the pathogenesis of bronchiectasis. This interesting phenonmenon should beexplored further.(This abstract is funded by: a CRCG grant of the University of Hong Kong)RM-13Why do family doctors prescribe antibiotics for upper respiratory tract infection?T P LAM1, K F LAM21Family Medicine Unit, Department of Medicine, 2Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, The University ofHong KongIntroduction: Upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) is the commonest condition for patients to attend theirdoctors. The prescribing behaviours of family doctors in Hong Kong towards URTIs and the major clinical factorswhich might affect these behaviours were studied.Methods: Members of the Hong Kong College of Family Physicians were surveyed between August and December2001 and 801 of them completed the questionnaire with an overall response rate of 65.0%.Results: Purulent nasal discharge, purulent sputum, persistent fever over 3 days, patients looking unwell, exudateson throat, inflamed eardrum and cervical lymphadenopathy made over half of the respondents likely or very likelyto prescribe antibiotics for URTIs. Those in private practice and those who graduated from Hong Kong were morelikely to prescribe antibiotics while those who had obtained fellowship of the College were less likely to do so.Vocational training and higher qualifications in family medicine/general practice however revealed minimal effect.Conclusion: Our results showed that many doctors are still prescribing antibiotics when they encounter URTIpatients presenting with clinical factors which have been proven to have no or little benefits from antibiotics.Acknowledgements: This work was made possible by a grant from the Research and Conference Grants of theUniversity of Hong Kong.RM-14

Down-expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and endothelial (Enos) proteins and mRNA iNOS in bronchiectasis in vivo

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Down-expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and endothelial (Enos) proteins and mRNA iNOS in bronchiectasis in vivo

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