[Clinical significance of cytokine and eosinophil cationic protein concentrations in sputum of asthmatic patients].

OBJECTIVE

To examine whether levels of inflammatory cytokines and eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) in the sputum reflect the severity of bronchial asthma.

METHOD

We collected sputum expectorated spontaneously from 15 asthmatics with acute attacks of moderate to severe degree (MS group) and 10 subjects with acute attacks of mild asthma (M group). The interleukin (IL)-5(35 ng/L) tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha(M 149 +/- 59 ng/L, MS 267 +/- 147 ng/L), soluble IL-2 receptor (sIL-2R) (M 348 +/- 107 kU/L, MS 488 +/- 127 kU/L) levels in the sputum were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and sputum ECP (M 127 +/- 95 micrograms/L, MS 278 +/- 150 micrograms/L) concentration were measured by Immuno-CAP System.

RESULT

Sputum IL-5, TNF-alpha, sIL-2R, ECP concentrations in moderate to severe patients were significantly higher than in mild subjects.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that inflammatory cytokines and mediator levels are detectable in the sputum from asthmatics and they might participate in the exacerbation of asthma.