الفهرس 
REVIEW OF LITERATUREOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Chronic Obstructive pulmonary disease is a common preventable and treatable disease characterized by airflow limitation that is usually progressive and associated with an enhanced chronic inflammatory response in the airways and the lung to noxious particles and gases. Cigarette smoking is the most commonly encountered risk factor for COPD. Inflammation of the airways is present in COPD with increased number of inflammatory cells including killer cells that lyse their target cells by two mechanisms; membranolysis in which secreted molecules such as granzymes form pores in the membrane of target cells; and apoptosis. Granzyme B has the strongest apoptotic activity of all granzymes. The aim of this work was to study the relation between Granzyme B, tobacco smoking and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease if any.The study included 40 clinically stable COPD patients classified according to GOLD (2013) criteria into two groups; moderate (GOLD ) and severe (GOLD) plus 40 apparently healthy control subjects (20 smokers and 20 nonsmokers). After application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, patients’ demographic data, pulmonary function results and serum levels of Granzyme B (measured by ELISA) were recorded. It was found that: Pulmonary function parameters (FEV1% and FEF25-75%) were significantly lower in patients as a whole and as sub-groups than in both smoker and nonsmoker controls due to airway obstruction in COPD. Serum Granzyme B level was significantly higher in patients than controls, and in smoker than nonsmoker controls. Higher levels in smoker than nonsmoker controls indicate a role of smoking in Granzyme B production which is more evident by the direct relation between smoking index and Granzyme B levels both in patients and controls. Serum Granzyme B levels were directly related to disease severity and inversely related to spirometric parameters (FEV1% and FEF25-75%) which points to a role of Granzyme B in pathogenesis of COPD. A significant direct relation between age and serum Granzyme B is present in patients and smoker controls.