Effects of continuous positive airway pressure on exhaled transforming growth factor-β and vascular endothelial growth factor in patients with obstructive sleep apnea

• Published in: Journal of thoracic disease Vol. 12; no. 3; pp. 932 - 941
• Main Authors: Lin, Ching-Chi, Liaw, Shwu-Fang, Chiu, Chung-Hsin, Lin, Mei-Wei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: China AME Publishing Company 01.03.2020
• Subjects: Original; exhaled breath condensate (EBC); vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF); continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP); obstructive sleep apnea (OSA); Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β); airway remodeling
• ISSN: 2072-1439; 2077-6624
• DOI: 10.21037/jtd.2019.12.55

Both transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are master regulators of airway remodeling; however, their pathological roles in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) remain unclear. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the expression of TGF-β and VEGF protein in the serum and exhaled breath condensate (EBC) before and after continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment in OSA patients. Forty patients with moderate to severe OSA requiring CPAP and 20 healthy subjects were prospectively recruited. The concentrations of TGF-β and VEGF protein in the serum and EBC were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. All OSA patients underwent a sleep study that was repeated 3 months after receiving CPAP therapy. Protein concentrations of TGF-β and VEGF in the serum did not differ between healthy controls and OSA patients before CPAP treatment. There was also no difference in the serum protein concentrations of TGF-β and VEGF of the OSA patients before and after CPAP treatment. However, both the TGF-β and VEGF protein concentrations in the EBC were higher in the OSA patients than those in control subjects, and recovered to normal levels after CPAP. Successful treatment of OSA by CPAP can restore the TGF-β and VEGF protein concentrations in the EBC.