Serum eosinophil cationic protein and 27 cytokines/chemokines in acute exacerbation of childhood asthma.
BACKGROUND
Little information is available on eosinophil activation and cytokine/chemokine responses in childhood asthma, thus we examined serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and 27 types of cytokines/chemokines in acute exacerbation of asthma (acute asthma) and stable asthma.


METHODS
We determined peripheral eosinophil count, and the serum levels of ECP and 27 types of cytokines/chemokines (IL-1 beta, IL-1 ra, IL-2, -4, -5, -6, -7, -8, -9, -10, -12, -13, -15 and -17, IFN-gamma, IP-10, TNF-alpha, GM-CSF, G-CSF, MCP-1, MIP-1 alpha and -1 beta, eotaxin, RANTES, PDGF-bb, FGF basic and VEGF) using a multiplex bead-based assay in 85 acute and 79 stable asthma patients, and 14 controls. We also examined the effects of systemic corticosteroids on these responses in acute asthma.


RESULTS
The serum levels of ECP, IL-5, -6, -8 and -10, G-CSF, MCP-1, IL-1 ra and IP-10 were significantly elevated in acute compared with stable asthma. Similarly, serum levels of ECP, IL-5 and IP-10 were significantly higher in acute asthma than in controls. Furthermore, in the acute phase, elevated serum levels of ECP, IL-5, IL-6, IL-1 ra and IP-10, but not IL-8, IL-10, G-CSF and MCP-1 were significantly reduced after treatments that included systemic corticosteroids.


CONCLUSIONS
Eosinophil activation could be induced by acute exacerbation of childhood asthma.
Kato
Masahiko
M
Department of Allergy and Immunology, Gunma Children's Medical Center, Shibukawa, Japan. mkato @ gcmc.pref.gunma.jp
Yamada
Yoshiyuki
Y
Maruyama
Kenichi
K
Hayashi
Yasuhide
Y
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D001769:Blood / Q000187:drug effects; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000097:blood; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10 / Q000097:blood; D018925:Chemokines / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein / Q000097:blood*; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000166:cytology; D005260:Female; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein / Q000097:blood; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; C111835:CCL2 protein, human; C114753:CXCL10 protein, human; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10; D018925:Chemokines; D016207:Cytokines; C508609:IL10 protein, human; C508599:IL5 protein, human; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein; D015848:Interleukin-5; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8; D016753:Interleukin-10; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein; C479220:RNASE3 protein, human