Serum TGF-[beta]1 in Atopic Asthma

• Published in: Asian Pacific journal of allergy and immunology Vol. 26; no. 4; p. 185
• Main Authors: Manuyakorn, Wiparat, Kamchaisatian, Wasu, Atamasirikul, Kalayanee, Sasisakulporn, Cherapat, Direkwattanachai, Chalerat, Benjaponpitak, Suwat
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bangkok The Allergy and Immunology Society 01.12.2008
• ISSN: 0125-877X

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airway. Pathological repair of chronic inflammation leads to airway remodeling. Transforming growth factor- β (TGF- β ), a profibrotic cytokine, plays an important role in promoting the structural changes of airway remodeling. TGF- β effects on the proliferation, differentiation and ex-tracellular matrix (ECM) metabolism of airway structural cells. This study assessed serum TGF- β 1 in different se-verity of atopic asthma compared to non-atopic controls. Thirty-one atopic asthmatic patients and 34 non-atopic controls, aged 7-18 years,were recruited as to the asthma severity: steroid naïve mild asthma, moderate asthma, and asthma in remission. Serum TGF- β 1 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. There was a significant difference between serum TGF- β 1 in asthmatic patients and that in control patients (39.59 ng/ml vs . 0.26 ng/ml, p < 0.001). Serum TGF- β 1 was highest in steroid naïve mild asthma group when compared to the moderate asthma and asthma in remission groups (47.44 ng/ml vs . 38.64 ng/ml and 47.44 ng/ml vs . 35.94 ng/ml, p = 0.013 and 0.001, respectively). There were no correlations among serum TGF- β 1 and pulmonary function test parame-ters, duration of asthma, and duration of inhaled corticosteroid treatment. These data support the role of TGF- β 1 in airway remodeling in asthma .