Effect of Inhaled Budesonide on Interleukin-4 and Interleukin-6 in Exhaled Breath Condensate of Asthmatic Patients

Assessment of inflammatory cytokines in exhaled breath condensate and exposure to mixtures of organic pollutants in brick workers

Brick production causes a lot of pollution in the form of dust, fumes, and toxic substances. Therefore, brick workers are highly exposed to pollutants and present a high risk of developing respiratory diseases. The objective of this research was to determine the exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and toluene in urine and evaluate the effects on health using markers of oxidative stress in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) as well as the exposure to pollutants in suspended particles of the studied area. Exposure to PAHs and toluene was evaluated using hydroxylated markers (OH) of PAHs and hippuric acid in urine, respectively. Cytokines like TNF-α, INF-y, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 y GMCSF in EBC were also evaluated. PM_2.5 particles were measured during an 8-h work shift. The results in brick workers presented a total OH-PAHs concentration of 97.3 µg/L and hippuric acid concentration of 0.2 g/L. The environmental concentrations of suspended particles were found within a range of 41.67-3541.6 μg/m³. The median of cytokines oscillated between 11.8 pg/mL to 1041 pg/mL. In conclusion, these results are similar to those of occupations in which there is high exposure to pollutants and populations with lung diseases. For that reason, the brick production sector requires prevention and control strategies against the pollutants emitted.

Volatile organic breath components and exercise induced bronchoconstriction in asthmatic children

INTRODUCTION

Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases in childhood and is generally characterized by exercise induced bronchoconstriction (EIB). Assessing EIB is time consuming and expensive as it requires a fully equipped pulmonary function laboratory. Analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in breath is a novel technique for examining biomarkers which may associate with asthma features. The aim of this pilot study was to identify potential markers in the relationship between EIB and VOCs.

METHODS

Children between four and 14 years old were asked to provide a breath sample prior to undergoing an exercise challenge test to assess for EIB.

RESULTS

Breath samples were collected and analyzed in 46 asthmatic children, 21 with EIB and 25 without EIB (NO-EIB). Molecular features (MFs) were not significantly different between EIB and NO-EIB controls. 29 of the 46 children were corticosteroid naïve, 10 with EIB and 13 without. In the corticosteroid naïve group EIB was associated with increased MF23 and MF14 in the lower breath sample (p-value < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

This pilot study shows that EIB was related to an increased MF14 and MF23 in corticosteroid naïve children. The tentative identities of these compounds are octanal and dodecane/tetradecane respectively. These candidate biomarkers have a potential to enable non-invasive diagnosis of EIB in steroid-naïve children. Trial registration This study is registered in the Netherlands trial register (trial no. NL6087) at 14 February 2017.

Characteristics of Proinflammatory Cytokines and Chemokines in Airways of Asthmatics: Relationships with Disease Severity and Infiltration of Inflammatory Cells

BACKGROUND

Increased proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines might contribute to infiltration of inflammatory cells and remodeling in airways of asthma. Although these molecules may be associated with asthma, there is lack of systemic evidence showing which and how important these events are in the disease. We aimed to analyze the concentrations of these molecules in the airways and relationships with disease severity and with airway infiltration of inflammatory cells in a large cohort of asthmatics (n = 70, including 37 mild and 33 moderate/severe asthmatics) compared with controls (n = 30).

METHODS

Meso scale discovery system and commercial ELISA kits were used to measure the concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β; tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α); IL-6; and IL-17 and CC and CXC chemokines CCL2, CCL4, CCL11, CCL13, CCL17, CCL22, and CCL26 and CXCL8, CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of asthmatics and controls.

RESULTS

The concentrations of IL-1, TNF-α, IL-6, CXCL8 and CXCL10, and CCL4, CCL11, CCL17, and CCL22 were significantly elevated in asthmatics compared with controls (P < 0.05). The concentrations of TNF-α and CXCL8, but not others, were negatively correlated with severity of disease (lung function forced expiratory volume in 1 s) (TNF-α vs. total: r = -0.359, P= 0.002 vs. moderate/severe: r= -0.541, P= 0.001; CXCL8 vs. total: r = -0.327, P= 0.006 vs. moderate/severe: r = -0.625, P= 0.0001, respectively). In addition, concentrations of these two molecules were also correlated with the absolute numbers of infiltrating eosinophils and neutrophils in asthmatic airways.

CONCLUSIONS

Increased concentrations of TNF-α and CXCL8 are associated with pathogenesis of asthma. Targeting these molecules might provide an alternative therapeutic for this disease.