title: Serum periostin levels correlate with airway hyper-responsiveness to methacholine and mannitol in children with asthma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Periostin is a matricellular protein, and its synthesis in airway epithelial cells and lung fibroblasts is induced by interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13. The significance of periostin as a biomarker of TH 2-induced airway inflammation, and (importantly) as a measure of the response to TH 2-targeted therapy, has recently been emphasized. We explored the relationship between periostin and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in asthmatic children.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 83 children aged 6-15 years in an asthmatic group (n = 54) and healthy controls (n = 29). We measured the periostin levels in serum and performed methacholine and mannitol provocation challenges. The responses to mannitol were expressed as the provocative dose causing a 15% fall in the FEV1 (the PD15 dose).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 54 subjects with asthma, all had positive methacholine bronchial provocation test (BPT) results and 38 had positive mannitol BPT results. Children with asthma had significantly higher periostin levels than controls [76.0 (65.0-91.8) vs 71.0 (57.5-80.0) ng/mL; P = 0.017]. Periostin levels were significantly correlated with both the methacholine PC20 and mannitol PD15 values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum levels of periostin, a new biomarker induced by IL-13, were higher in asthmatic children, and were associated with AHR to methacholine and mannitol.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Hallym University Kandong Sacred Heart Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: J-S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Hallym University Kandong Sacred Heart Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: J-S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: You
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Hallym University Kandong Sacred Heart Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: S-I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Hallym University Kandong Sacred Heart Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Hallym University Kandong Sacred Heart Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: I-T
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine, Chonnam National University Dental Hospital, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Y-G
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Im
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Hallym University Kandong Sacred Heart Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: H-S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Baek
authors.affiliation: Departement of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Hallym University Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: H-Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: D-I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.affiliation: Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: H-B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Saga Medical School, Saga, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Izuhara
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests; D016085:Bronchoconstrictor Agents; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008353:Mannitol; D016210:Methacholine Chloride; D012130:Respiratory Hypersensitivity / Q000097:blood* / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D016085:Bronchoconstrictor Agents; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; C512835:POSTN protein, human; D016210:Methacholine Chloride; D008353:Mannitol
keywords: airway hyperresponsiveness; asthma; children; periostin