Eosinophil Cationic Protein (ECP) is a biomarker of eosinophils activation in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Chronic inflammatory response in airways represents the main feature of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) pathology. Although it's usually a neutrophil-mediated immune response, eosinophils are found to take part in it. However, the role of activation of eosinophils and their secreted proteins in COPD pathology remains unclear. Eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) is one of the main proteins that are released from eosinophils after their activation, thus its levels are considered as an indicator of eosinophils activation. The current study shows that serum ECP levels were higher in COPD patients compared with healthy subjects, and more elevated in COPD Exacerbation than in stable COPD patients. That indicates the occurrence of Eosinophils activation and secretion of ECP which has a variety of toxic and nontoxic biological activities, which contribute to pathological changes observed in COPD.