Increased serum interleukin-5 and vascular endothelial growth factor in children with acute mycoplasma pneumonia and wheeze.
Acute mycoplasma pneumonia may be accompanied by wheeze in some children considered not to have asthma. The aim of the present study was to evaluate cytokine secretion in children with acute mycoplasma pneumonia and wheeze. We studied 58 patients with mycoplasma pneumonia (12 with wheeze, Group 1; 46 without wheeze, Group 2) and 36 patients of non-mycoplasma pneumonia (Group 3). Serum levels of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, interferon (IFN)-gamma, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. The mean +/- SD IL-5 level of Group 1 was 97.1 +/- 73.0 pg/ml, which was significantly higher than that of Group 2 (28.2 +/- 32.2 pg/ml) and that of Group 3 (35.7 +/- 42.0 pg/ml). The mean +/- SD VEGF level of Group 1 was 687.5 +/- 385.8 pg/ml, which was significantly higher than that of Group 2 (310.0 +/- 251.9 pg/ml) and that of Group 3 (402.3 +/- 279.5 pg/ml). No significant differences in serum levels of IL-4, IFN-gamma, and IgE were observed between the groups. Our results show that children with mycoplasma pneumonia and wheeze have significantly higher serum levels of IL-5 and VEGF. These increased immune responses may be associated with the pathophysiological mechanisms by which the Mycoplasma pneumoniae contribute to the development of wheeze during acute mycoplasma pneumonia.
Department of Pediatrics, Korea University Anam Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Ic Sun
IS
Choi
Jung Hye
JH
Byeon
Young
Y
Yoo
Kwang Chul
KC
Lee
Ji Tae
JT
Choung
D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications*; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000209:etiology*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
C508598:IL4 protein, human; C508599:IL5 protein, human; D015848:Interleukin-5; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D007371:Interferon-gamma