Differential effects of corticosteroids on serum eosinophil cationic protein and cytokine production in rhinovirus- and respiratory syncytial virus-induced acute exacerbation of childhood asthma

Abstract

Background: Little information is available on eosinophil activation and the cytokine profile in virus-induced acute exacerbation of bronchial asthma; therefore, we examined the effects of treatments that included systemic corticosteroids on serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and 17 cytokines/chemokines in rhinovirus- and respiratory syncytial (RS) virus-induced acute exacerbation of childhood asthma.

Methods: We measured the peripheral eosinophil count, as well as the serum levels of ECP and 17 types of cytokines/chemokines (IL-1β, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, and 17 and IFN-γ, TNF-α, GM-CSF, G-CSF, MCP-1, and MIP-1β), using a multiplex bead-based assay in 21 cases of rhinovirus- and 12 cases of RS virus-induced acute exacerbation of childhood asthma and 13 controls. We also compared the clinical data and the effects of systemic corticosteroids on these responses between rhinovirus and RS virus groups.

Results: The serum levels of ECP, IL-5, and IL-6 were significantly elevated in patients with rhinovirus-induced acute exacerbation of asthma compared with controls, while serum IL-1β and IFN-γ were significantly lower in patients with rhinovirus-induced acute exacerbation of asthma than in controls. On the other hand, in RS virus-induced acute exacerbation of asthma, only the peripheral eosinophil count was significantly decreased compared with that in rhinovirus-induced acute exacerbation of asthma and controls. Furthermore, the serum levels of ECP, IL-5, and IL-6 in rhinovirus-induced acute exacerbation of asthma and levels of G-CSF in RS virus-induced acute exacerbation of asthma were significantly reduced after treatments that included systemic corticosteroids, respectively.

Conclusion: These results suggest that the effects of systemic corticosteroids on serum ECP and the cytokine profile are different between rhinovirus- and RS virus-induced acute exacerbation of childhood asthma.