Nitric oxide metabolites, eosinophils, eosinophil cationic protein, EG2+ eosinophils in sputum according to asthma severity.
- Author:
An Soo JANG
1
;
In Seon CHOI
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine, Seonam University College of Medicine.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Bronchial asthma;
sputum;
nitric;
oxide;
eosinophils
- MeSH:
Asthma*;
Cell Count;
Dithiothreitol;
Eosinophil Cationic Protein*;
Eosinophils*;
Fluoroimmunoassay;
Humans;
Inflammation;
Macrophages;
Nitric Oxide*;
Saliva;
Sputum*
- From:Journal of Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology
2001;21(3):535-542
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Eosinophils play an important role in asthmatic airway inflammation collaborateing with other inflammatory cells. Nitric oxide (NO) may amplify and perpetuate allergic inflammation. OBJECTIVE: The present study was aimed to determine whether NO metabolites and eosinophil activation markers in sputum reflect the severity of asthma. METHODS: Sputum was obtained in 27 asthmatic patients. We processed freshly expectorated sputum separated from saliva and by a treatment with equal volume of dithiothreitol 0.1%, cytospins for cell count and special stain, we collected the supernatant for biochemical assay. We used immunocytochemical staining to detect EG2+ eosinophils, and fluoroimmunoassay to detect eosinophil cationic protein (ECP). NO metabolites were assayed by using modified Griess reaction. RESULTS: Moderate and severe asthmatic patients had a significantly higher proportion of eosinophils (37.9+/-7.8% vs 58.4+/-7.9% vs 8.9+/-2.0%, p<0.01) and lower proportion of macrophages (46.5+/-5.5% vs 18.1+/-4.6% vs 75.6+/-4.0%, p<0.01) compared to mild asthmatics. The proportion of EG2+ eosinophils, and ECP levels in the sputum were significantly higher in moderate and severe asthmatic patients than in mild asthmatic patients (p<0.01, respectively). The level of NO metabolites in the sputum was significantly increased in severe asthmatic patients compared to that in mild asthmatic patients (1372.0+/-168.5micromole/L vs 658.3+/-186.4micromole/L, p<0.05). The proportion of eosinophils in sputum was inversely correlated with FEV1 and FEV1/FVC. EG2+ eosinophils and ECP also had an inverse relationship with FEV1 and FEV1/FVC. CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate that the proportion of eosinophils, ECP, EG2+ eosinophils, and NO metabolites in the sputum of patients with asthma may be correlated with asthma severity.
