[Expression of interleukin-17A in asthmatic mice and its significance].
OBJECTIVE
To study the serum level of interleukin-17A (IL-17A) and its expressions in the lung, spleen and thymus in asthmatic mice.


METHODS
In 14 normal BALB/c female mice and 14 asthmatic mice, the changes in the airway pathology and the cell proportion in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were observed. The serum level of IL-17A and IL-17A expressions in the tissue homogenates of the lung, spleen and thymus of the mice were detected by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).


RESULTS
The airway inflammation in the asthmatic mice was characterized mainly by eosinophil and neutrophil infiltration, which was not observed in the normal control group. Serum IL-17A levels and IL-17A expressions in the lung, spleen and thymus of the asthmatic mice were significantly higher than those in the normal control group (P<0.01). In the asthmatic mice, IL-17A expression in the lung tissues was positively correlated with the percentages of neutrophils (r=0.693, P=0.040) and eosinophils (r=0.733, P=0.030) in the BALF.


CONCLUSIONS
IL-17A is highly expressed in the serum, lung, spleen and thymus of asthmatic mice. IL-17A may be one of the major cytokines involved in exacerbation of bronchial asthma, and is probably associated with the recruitment of neutrophils and eosinophils into the airways.
Gong
Yu-xin
YX
Department of Respiratory Diseases, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China. wodeyouxiangyuxin@126.com
Yu
Hua-peng
HP
Guo
Xi-hua
XH
Deng
Huo-jin
HJ
Chen
Xin
X
D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011897:Random Allocation
C098680:Il17a protein, mouse; D020381:Interleukin-17