Expression of thioredoxin-binding protein-2/vitamin D3 upregulated protein-1 in peripheral blood eosinophils of asthma patients.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the expression of vitamin D3 upregulated protein-1 (VDUP1) in peripheral eosinophils at different stages of asthma and its correlation with clinical manifestations of asthma.


METHODS
Fourteen normal volunteers and 51 mild to moderate asthma patients, including 16 untreated patients with asthma attack and 35 with asthma remission by continuously corticosterone inhalation. The symptom severity and pulmonary function indices were evaluated and induced sputum eosinophil counts and blood eosinophil count measured. VDUP1 and beta-actin gene fragments were amplified simultaneously by RT-PCR from the total RNA of peripheral eosinophils, and 10 microl of the RT-PCR product underwent agarose gel electrophoresis and the VDUP1/beta-actin ratio was obtained by Gel-Pro software.


RESULTS
VDUP1/beta-actin ratio significantly decreased in untreated patients with asthma attacks in comparison with normal volunteers (0.314+/-0.242 vs 0.532 +/-0.279) but not in patients with asthma remission (0.612+/-0.381). In the former patients, a positive correlation of VDUP1/beta-actin ratio was found with FEV1.0% (r=0.587, P=0.046) and %PEF (r=0.563, P=0.033), whereas an inverse one observed with sputum eosinophil count (r=-0.436, P=0.049).


CONCLUSIONS
VDUP1 expression in the eosinophils correlates to eosinophil activation and may influence the disease severity of asthma patients.
Gao
Feng
F
Department of Respiratory Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Guangzhou 510515, China. gf8389s@fimmu.com
Cai
Shao-xi
SX
Zou
Fei
F
Li
Wen-jun
WJ
Zhao
Hai-jin
HJ
D000199:Actins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008449:Maximal Expiratory Flow-Volume Curves; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D013879:Thioredoxins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
D000199:Actins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; C486715:TXNIP protein, human; D013879:Thioredoxins