Squamous cell carcinoma-related antigen in children with acute asthma.
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.
Nishi
Natsuko
N
Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga City, Japan. hamasaki@post.saga-med.ac.jp
Miyazaki
Michiko
M
Tsuji
Kosuke
K
Hitomi
Tomohiro
T
Muro
Eriko
E
Zaitsu
Masafumi
M
Yamamoto
Syuichi
S
Inada
Shigeyasu
S
Kobayashi
Ikuko
I
Ichimaru
Tomohiro
T
Izuhara
Kenji
K
Nagumo
Fumio
F
Yuyama
Noriko
N
Hamasaki
Yuhei
Y
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
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D018793:Interleukin-13; D015843:Serpins; C051072:squamous cell carcinoma-related antigen; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma