title: Eosinophil cationic protein mRNA expression in children with bronchial asthma.
abstract: Studies have shown that eosinophils are closely related to pathogenesis of bronchial asthma. Eosinophils release eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), which plays an important role in infection and allergic reactions. Serum ECP mRNA expression in children with bronchial asthma has not been adequately investigated. We analyzed serum ECP mRNA expression in 63 children with bronchial asthma and 21 healthy children by using reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction to understand the role of ECP in children with bronchial asthma. The children with bronchial asthma were segregated into acute-phase and stable-phase groups, based on the severity of the illness. Serum ECP mRNA expression in children with bronchial asthma (0.375 ± 0.04) was significantly higher than that in healthy controls (0.20 ± 0.02; P < 0.05). Additionally, children in the acute-phase group showed higher ECP mRNA expression level (0.44 ± 0.06) than those in the stable-phase (0.31 ± 0.03) and healthy control groups (0.20 ± 0.02; P < 0.05), while the level in the stable-phase (0.31 ± 0.03) was markedly higher than that in the healthy control group (0.20 ± 0.02; P < 0.05). Detection of serum ECP mRNA expression level has possible applications in the diagnosis and treatment of children with bronchial asthma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: H Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Qilu Children's Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: X Y
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Z F
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health Care, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: The First People's Hospital of Jinan City, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: X Z
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, the First Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: H X
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: X J
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D002648:Child; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein; C479220:RNASE3 protein, human