Changes in expressions of TIPE2 and TF in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with acute exacerbation of bronchial asthma and their associations with changes in inflammatory factors and T lymphocytes.

OBJECTIVE

To detect the expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α-induced protein-8-like 2 (TIPE2) and tissue factor (TF) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with acute exacerbation of bronchial asthma (BA), and to analyze their associations with changes in inflammatory factors and T lymphocytes.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 59 patients with BA treated in our hospital from February 2018 to April 2019 were selected as objects, including 30 cases in the acute exacerbation phase (BA group) and 29 in the remission phase (RE group). During the same period, 28 people receiving physical examinations were selected as healthy controls (Control group). The proportion of eosinophils in the sputum and the fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) level were detected in each subject. Blood samples were collected in patients of BA group and Control group, aiming to isolate PBMCs. Then, the messenger RNA (mRNA) expressions of TIPE2 and TF in PBMCs were determined via reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Serum levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-6 in BA group and Control group were determined via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and protein expressions of serum T helper 1 (Th1) and Th2 cells in BA group and Control group were detected using Western blotting.

RESULTS

Compared with those in Control group, the proportion of eosinophils and FeNO level increased in BA and RE group, which were more pronounced in BA group. Downregulated mRNA level of TIPE2, and upregulated TF were detected in BA and RE groups compared to those of Control group, and the expression changes were more significant in the former group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) data showed that serum levels of IL-1β and IL-6 were significantly elevated in BA and RE groups in comparison to Control group, especially BA group. In addition, protein level of Th1 cells was downregulated, while that of Th2 was upregulated in BA group and RE group compared to those of Control group, and a more significant change was observed in BA group compared to that of RE group.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with acute exacerbation of BA, the expression of TIPE2 in PBMCs declined, while that of TF rose, which were negatively correlated with each other. Moreover, the proportion of Th1 cells declined in patients with acute exacerbation of BA, indicating that it is associated with the lung function, inflammatory level and proportion of eosinophils.