title: Increased expression of aryl hydrocarbon receptor and interleukin 22 in patients with allergic asthma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We sought to determine whether the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and interleukin (IL)-22 may be involved in the pathogenesis of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in allergic asthmatic patients and whether their expression may be related to the severity of the disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood samples were obtained from each subject with allergic asthma (n =18), controlled asthma (n = 17) and healthy controls (n = 12) respectively. The PBMCs were collected for AhR mRNA detection by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The plasma was collected for IL-22 protein detection by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression of AhR mRNA in PBMCs and IL-22 protein in plasma of patients with allergic asthma were higher than those in controlled asthma cases and healthy controls. The plasma concentrations of IL-22 had negative correlation with the predicted percentage of forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1%) and the percentage of FEV1 and forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC%) and it was positively correlated with the asthma severity score (ASS) of the asthmatics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggested that both AhR and IL-22 might be involved in the pathogenesis of allergic asthma in human and the level of IL-22 might have some relationship with the severity of the disease.
authors: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Diseases of the Ministry of Health of China, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, PR China.
authors: Jing
authors: J
authors: Zhu
authors: Yong
authors: Y
authors: Cao
authors: Kaiyan
authors: K
authors: Li
authors: Zhengyun
authors: Z
authors: Wang
authors: Peng
authors: P
authors: Zuo
authors: Weining
authors: W
authors: Xiong
authors: Yongjian
authors: Y
authors: Xu
authors: Shengdao
authors: S
authors: Xiong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007378:Interleukins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018336:Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D000097043:Interleukin-22
chemical_list: D007378:Interleukins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018336:Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon; D000097043:Interleukin-22