Elevated Plasma and Mononuclear Cell Culture Supernate Eotaxin Levels in Asthmatic Children

Abstract

Eotaxin overexpression was previously demonstrated in lesional as well as biological fluid samples from adult asthmatics. This follow-up study was aimed to evaluate the eotaxin expression in asthmatic children in relation to disease activity and severity. Eotaxin, was assayed by enzymatic immunoassay in plasma and mononuclear cell culture supernatant fluid samples from 14 asthmatic children, 5-12 years old, during an asthma exacerbation and after complete subsidence of the acute attack. The results were compared to those of 12 age and sex matched healthy children as a control group. The plasma eotaxin levels studied during asthma exacerbation (median = 335 pg/mL, mean [SD] = 364 [277] pg/mL) were statistically comparable to those of the same patients when studied in-between attacks (median = 215 pg/mL, mean [SD] = 288.6 [252.7] pg/mL). The healthy children had much lower plasma eotaxin levels (median = 50 pg/mL, mean [SD] = 59 [39.8] pg/mL) as compared to the patients whether during asthma exacerbation or quiescence. Eotaxin concentrations in mononuclear cell culture supernate during asthma exacerbations (median = 7.2 pg/mL, mean [SD] = 7.6 [2.2] pg/mL) were significantly higher than the corresponding values during stability (median = 5.4 pg/mL, mean [SD] = 5.6 [1.3] pg/mL) and the control levels (median = 4 pg/mL, mean [SD] = 4.3 [1.1] pg/mL). Children enrolled with acute severe asthma had a significantly higher mean plasma eotaxin level as compared to those with mild to moderate attacks. Our findings reinforce the concept that eotaxin is implicated in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma and may represent a biomarker of allergic inflammation. This may pave the way for eotaxin antagonism among the adjuvant therapeutic strategies.