title: Squamous cell carcinoma-related antigen in children with acute asthma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increased serum levels of squamous cell carcinoma-related antigen (SCCA) have been observed in patients with allergic disorders, such as atopic dermatitis and bronchial asthma. T(H)2 cytokines, which are known to be involved in the pathogenesis of allergic disorders, stimulate new synthesis of SCCA in cultured human airway epithelial cells.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether SCCA levels increase during acute exacerbations of asthma in children and whether the T(H)2 cytokines, interleukin 4 (IL-4) and IL-13, are associated with SCCA levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum levels of SCCA, IL-4, and IL-13 were measured by enzyme immunoassay during the acute phase of an asthma exacerbation (on hospital admission) and in the recovery phase (after symptoms had subsided).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the 35 children who participated in this study, serum levels of SCCA were significantly elevated in the acute phase (mean +/- SD, 3.09 +/- 2.03 ng/mL) compared with the recovery phase (mean +/- SD, 1.47 +/- 0.64 ng/mL) of an asthma exacerbation (P < .001). In 12 children, the IL-13 levels were observed to correlate with SCCA levels during the recovery phase (r = 0.68, P = .02) but not during the acute phase of an asthma exacerbation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum SCCA levels increase during the acute phase of an asthma exacerbation. During this phase, the increased synthesis of SCCA is not associated with IL-13 but rather mediated by other undefined stimuli. IL-13 may contribute to the basal production of SCCA in asthmatic children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga City, Japan. hamasaki@post.saga-med.ac.jp
authors.forename: Natsuko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nishi
authors.forename: Michiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
authors.forename: Kosuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsuji
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hitomi
authors.forename: Eriko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Muro
authors.forename: Masafumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zaitsu
authors.forename: Syuichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Shigeyasu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Inada
authors.forename: Ikuko
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ichimaru
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Izuhara
authors.forename: Fumio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nagumo
authors.forename: Noriko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yuyama
authors.forename: Yuhei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hamasaki
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000276:immunology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000276:immunology; D015843:Serpins / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D018793:Interleukin-13; D015843:Serpins; C051072:squamous cell carcinoma-related antigen; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma