title: TNF-alpha and IL-8 of the patients with allergic asthma.
abstract: The levels of serum TNF-alpha and IL-8 in the patients with allergic asthma during acute attack period and remission period, and the effects of glucocorticoid (GC) on them were investigated. By using ELISA, the levels of TNF-alpha and IL-8 were detected in the healthy volunteers (group C, n =40), the patients with allergic asthma (n=40) during acute attack period (group A) and remission period (group B) and those taking GC for a week (n=28). The results were compared among them. It was found that the levels of TNF-alpha and IL-8 in group A were higher than in group B and group C. In the patients subject to GC therapy, the levels of TNF-alpha and IL-8 were decreased as compared with those in group A. In group B, the level of TNF-alpha was higher than in group C, but there was no significant difference in the level of IL-8 between group B and group C. It was concluded that the inflammatory cytokines, TNF-alpha and IL-8, played important roles in the bronchus allergic inflammation. GC could reduce the levels of serum TNF-alpha and IL-8 to exert the anti-inflammatory effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
authors.forename: Guanghui
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Rongfei
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Baozhu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016209:Interleukin-8; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D011241:Prednisone