Expression of interleukin-5 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in aspirin-sensitive and non-aspirin-sensitive asthmatic airways.
Increased numbers of eosinophils and mast cells in the bronchial mucosa are characteristic features in subjects with aspirin-sensitive asthma. Interleukin-5 (IL-5) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) are involved in the activation, maturation, and perpetuation of survival of eosinophils. Immunohistochemical techniques were therefore used to study the expression of IL-5 and GM-CSF on frozen bronchial biopsies from 13 aspirin-sensitive asthmatic (ASA) and 8 non-ASA (NASA) subjects. Aspirin sensitivity was diagnosed by lysine-aspirin inhalation provocation. ASA airways demonstrated a significant 2-fold increase in the total number of submucosal inflammatory cells expressing IL-5 (p = 0.03) and approximate 4- and 2-fold increases in the numbers of mast cells expressing IL-5 and GM-CSF (p = 0.02 and p = 0.04, respectively). There was also a 4-fold increase in the number of eosinophils expressing IL-5 (p = 0.004). These results suggest a central role for the mast cell and eosinophil in regulation of the inflammatory cell infiltrate of ASA airways by secretion of the hemopoietic cytokines IL-5 and GM-CSF.
Sousa
A R
AR
Department of Allergy and Respiratory Medicine, Guy's Hospital, United Kingdom.
Lams
B E
BE
Pfister
R
R
Christie
P E
PE
Schmitz
M
M
Lee
T H
TH
D000328:Adult; D001241:Aspirin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001980:Bronchi / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002452:Cell Count; D004342:Drug Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
D015848:Interleukin-5; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D001241:Aspirin