Source: Annual Congress 2002 - Cellular reactions in allergy in humans and animals
Disease area: Airway diseases

Abstract

Allergic asthma is a clinical condition associated with an evident Th2 imbalance.
IL-18, initially identified as a IFN-gamma-inducing factor, is a proinflammatory cytokine that plays an important role in Th1 cell activation. In contrast, recent studies demonstrate a role of this cytokine as inducer of atopic responses, including allergic asthma.
Aim of this study was to evaluate IL-18 serum levels in patients with moderate-severe asthma and, in addition, a possible correlation between this cytokine and FEV-1 into these patients.
To this end we enrolled 15 healthy nonatopic donors and 15 allergic patients with moderate-severe asthma no treated with oral parenteral or depot corticosteroids for, at least, 4 weeks prior to venipuncture.
IL-18 was essayed by immunoenzimatic method (Quantikine Human IL-18, R&S System, Milan, Italy). The detection limit for IL-18 was < 15 pg/mL.
Our data show that IL-18 serum levels were significantly (p<0,05) higher in asthmatic patients with respect to healthy donors (182,34 +/- 31,15 vs 104.36 +/- 20,19 pg/mL).
In addition a negative correlation between serum IL-18 levels and FEV-1 values (Rho= -0,624, p<0,01) was found.
At the light of these results, we think that IL-18 may be involved in induction of the allergic inflammation present in atopic asthma.
REFERENCES
1) Wild JS, Sigounas A, Sur N, Siddiqui MS, Alam R, Kurimoto M, Sur S.
IFN-gamma-inducing factor (Il-18) increases allergic sensitisation, serum IgE, Th2 cytokines and airway eosinophilia in a mouse model of allergic asthma.
J. Immunol 2000 Mar 1;164(5):2701-10.

Rating:

Share or cite this content

Citations should be made in the following way:
S. Gangemi, G. Lombardo, P. L. Minciullo, D. Bonanno, L. Giannetto, F. Guarneri, R. A. Merendino (Messina, Italy). Serum levels of interleukin-18 in patients affected by allergic bronchial asthma. Eur Respir J 2002; 20: Suppl. 38, 309

Member's Comments

No comment yet.

Related content which might interest you: Serum ECP levels do not correlate with degree of bronchial hyperresponsiveness in patients with cough variant asthma Source: Eur Respir J 2005; 26: Suppl. 49, 584s Year: 2005 Plasma eotaxin level in children with acute bronchial asthma Source: Eur Respir J 2003; 22: Suppl. 45, 314s Year: 2003 Elevated serum IL-12 and IL-18 levels in patients with bronchial asthma Source: Eur Respir J 2002; 20: Suppl. 38, 424s Year: 2002 Serum levels of IL-8, IL-10 and TNFα in severe allergic asthma Source: Eur Respir J 2005; 26: Suppl. 49, 279s Year: 2005 Serum and sputum interleukin-8: comparison between normal and allergic asthmatics children Source: Eur Respir J 2003; 22: Suppl. 45, 175s Year: 2003 Serum levels of interleukin-1α in patients affected by atopic and non atopic asthma Source: Eur Respir J 2003; 22: Suppl. 45, 290s Year: 2003 Elevated serum ECP in wheezing infants predicts the development of atopic asthma Source: Eur Respir J 2002; 20: Suppl. 38, 192s Year: 2002 Serum titres of cytokines show an imbalance in atopic asthma Source: Eur Respir J 2004; 24: Suppl. 48, 351s Year: 2004 Serum eotaxin level in male with allergic diseases Source: Eur Respir J 2002; 20: Suppl. 38, 311s Year: 2002 Serum eosinophil cationic protein as a marker of disease severity in patients with bronchial asthma Source: Eur Respir J 2001; 18: Suppl. 33, 51s Year: 2001 Serum TNF-a, IL-12 and IL-13 levels in severe bronchial asthma patients Source: Eur Respir J 2004; 24: Suppl. 48, 353s Year: 2004 Interaction between eotaxin and IL-13 in serum and sputum: comparison between normal and allergic asthmatic children Source: Eur Respir J 2004; 24: Suppl. 48, 396s Year: 2004 Cytokine plasma levels in moderate-to-severe asthmatic children with different asthma control Source: Virtual Congress 2020 – Phenotypes of asthma and COPD Year: 2020 Zinc in serum and induced sputum of patients with allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma Source: Eur Respir J 2004; 24: Suppl. 48, 353s Year: 2004 Eotaxin in serum and sputum: comparison between normal and allergic asthmatic children Source: Eur Respir J 2004; 24: Suppl. 48, 163s Year: 2004 Iron in serum and induced sputum of patients with allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma Source: Eur Respir J 2006; 28: Suppl. 50, 445s Year: 2006 Plasma leukotriene level in atopic and non-atopic asthmatic children and its correlation to severity of the disease Source: Eur Respir J 2003; 22: Suppl. 45, 314s Year: 2003 Pulmonary function and levels of serum leptin and interleukin-6 in women with bronchial asthma Source: International Congress 2018 – Does asthma phenotyping improve treatment? Year: 2018 Inhibiting effect of influenza vaccinations on serum eotaxin level in patients with allergic bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Source: Eur Respir J 2004; 24: Suppl. 48, 134s Year: 2004 Inflammatory cytokines in serum from children with severe asthma compared to controlled asthmatics Source: Annual Congress 2012 - Mechanisms and risk of childhood asthma and allergy Year: 2012