title: [Effects of bacterial lipopolysaccharide on serum IL-4, serum IL-8 and pulmonary VEGF expression in mice with asthma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the regulatory role of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS ) in the development of bronchial asthma by examining the effects of LPS on serum IL-4, serum IL-8 and pulmonary vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in mice with asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-seven BALB/c mice were randomly assigned into control, asthma and LPS-treated asthma groups (n=9 each). Serum IL-4 and IL-8 concentrations were measured using ELISA. VEGF expression in lung tissues was examined using the immunohistochemical method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum IL-4 and IL-8 concentrations in the asthma group were significantly higher than in the control group (P<0.05). LPS treatment significantly decreased serum IL-4 and IL-8 concentrations compared with the asthma group (P<0.05), although levels were significantly higher than in the control group (P<0.05). Airway VEGF expression in the asthma group was significantly higher than in the control group (P<0.05). LPS treatment significantly decreased airway VEGF expression compared with the asthma group (P<0.05), although concentrations remained higher than in the control group (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LPS can decrease serum IL-4, serum IL-8 and pulmonary VEGF expression in mice with asthma, and thus can possibly reduce both airway inflammation and airway vascular remodeling.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China. luanbin0588@tom.com
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Luan
authors.forename: Mei-Jing
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Jun-Ying
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Qiao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood*; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D016209:Interleukin-8; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C467480:vascular endothelial growth factor A, mouse; D015847:Interleukin-4