Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
3 Pt 1
pubmed:dateCreated
1997-10-28
pubmed:abstractText
Atopic asthma is characterized by chronic inflammation of the bronchial mucosa in which eosinophil- and immunoglobulin E (IgE)-dependent mechanisms are believed to be prominent. Therefore, specific proeosinophilic mediators such as interleukin (IL)-5 and essential cofactors for IgE switching in B-lymphocytes such as IL-4 could play a pivotal role in asthma. However, the exact role that individual inflammatory mediators play in the development of the disease in humans is still unknown. Using semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction amplification in bronchial biopsies from 10 atopic asthmatics, we have tested the hypothesis that IL-4 and IL-5 mRNA expression relative to beta-actin mRNA correlates with validated indicators of disease severity. IL-4 and IL-5 mRNA copies relative to beta-actin mRNA were detected in bronchial biopsies from atopic asthmatics. The numbers of IL-5 mRNA copies relative to beta-actin mRNA correlated with disease severity assessed by the Aas asthma score (r = 0.70, p = 0.01), baseline FEV1 (r = -0.94, p = 0.001), baseline peak expiratory flow rate (r = -0.77, p = 0.01), peak expiratory flow rate variability over 2 wk (r = 0.69, p = 0.028), and the histamine PC20 (r = -0.72, p = 0.018). Conversely, the numbers of IL-4 mRNA copies relative to beta-actin mRNA did not correlate with asthma severity, but they positively correlated with total serum IgE concentrations (r = -0.90, p = 0.001). Our present results support the concept that IL-5 may determine asthma clinical expression and severity, and by inference they support the development of IL-5 targeted therapies.
pubmed:grant
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
AIM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Sep
pubmed:issn
1073-449X
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
156
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
704-8
pubmed:dateRevised
2009-9-29
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1997
pubmed:articleTitle
Relationship between IL-4 and IL-5 mRNA expression and disease severity in atopic asthma.
pubmed:affiliation
Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Imperial College School of Medicine, National Heart and Lung Institute, London, United Kingdom.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't