Clinical significance of serum transforming growth factor-β1 and procollagen type I N-propeptide in post-tuberculosis tracheobronchial stenosis

Yongchang Wu; Yishi Li; Yang Bai; Jinyue Jiang; Xiaohui Wang; Yi Chen; Xin Wang; Guichuan Huang; Yiling Gan; You Li; Shuliang Guo

doi:10.3892/etm.2021.10002

Clinical significance of serum transforming growth factor-β1 and procollagen type I N-propeptide in post-tuberculosis tracheobronchial stenosis

Exp Ther Med. 2021 Jun;21(6):570. doi: 10.3892/etm.2021.10002. Epub 2021 Mar 29.

Authors

Yongchang Wu¹, Yishi Li¹, Yang Bai¹, Jinyue Jiang¹, Xiaohui Wang¹, Yi Chen¹, Xin Wang¹, Guichuan Huang¹, Yiling Gan¹, You Li¹, Shuliang Guo¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China.

Abstract

Non-invasive strategies for monitoring post-tuberculosis (TB) tracheobronchial stenosis (PTTS) are clinically important but currently lacking. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and procollagen type I N-propeptide (PINP) have been identified as markers of fibrosis. The present study aimed to investigate the clinical significance of serum TGF-β1 and PINP in PTTS. Serum samples were collected from 119 patients with tracheobronchial TB after the condition was treated for at least 6 months (59 patients with airway stenosis and 60 patients with no stenosis). Serum TGF-β1 and PINP levels were measured using ELISA and compared between the groups. Relationships between serum TGF-β1 and PINP levels and clinical characteristics, interventional bronchoscopy and outcomes of airway stenosis were analysed. The correlation between TGF-β1 and PINP, and their diagnostic efficacy for airway stenosis were also analysed. The TGF-β1 and PINP levels in the airway stenosis group were higher than those in the non-stenosis group. Furthermore, airway stenosis with atelectasis or mucus plugging was associated with higher TGF-β1 levels, and airway stenosis with atelectasis, mucus plugging, right main bronchus stenosis or severe airway tracheal stenosis was associated with higher PINP levels. In addition, TGF-β1 and PINP levels increased after interventional bronchoscopy therapy and airway stenosis with recurrent stenosis was associated with higher baseline levels of both markers. Finally, TGF-β1 levels were positively correlated with PINP levels in patients with airway stenosis. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of TGF-β1 and PINP for distinguishing airway stenosis from non-stenosis cases was 0.824 (95% CI: 0.748-0.900) and 0.863 (95% CI: 0.796-0.930), respectively. Therefore, TGF-β1 and PINP are potential biomarkers that may be useful for diagnosing and monitoring PTTS.

Keywords: biomarker; fibrosis; procollagen type I N-propeptide; tracheobronchial tuberculosis; transforming growth factor-β1.

Grants and funding

Funding: This work was supported by the National Major Science and Technology Projects of China (grant no. 2018ZX10302302003).