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Clinical Trial
. 2013;8(3):e58388.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0058388. Epub 2013 Mar 26.

Sputum IgE and cytokines in asthma: relationship with sputum cellular profile

Maïté Manise  1 , Gabriele Holtappels, Koen Van Crombruggen, Florence Schleich, Claus Bachert, Renaud Louis
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Sputum IgE and cytokines in asthma: relationship with sputum cellular profile

Maïté Manise et al. PLoS One. 2013.

Abstract

Background: Local IgE production may play a role in asthma pathogenesis. The aim of the study was to assess sputum total IgE and cytokines in asthmatics according to sputum cellular phenotype.

Methods: We studied 122 subjects including 22 non atopic healthy subjects, 41 eosinophilic (sputum eosinophils ≥3%), 16 neutrophilic (sputum neutrophils >76%) and 43 pauci-granulocytic asthmatics (sputum eosinophils <3% and sputum neutrophils ≤76%) recruited from the asthma clinic at CHU Liege. Sputum supernatant total IgE (tIgE) was measured by ImmunoCAP and sputum supernatant cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-13, IL-17, IFN-γ and TNF-α) were measured with the Luminex xMAP Technology by using commercially available Fluorokine MAP kits.

Results: After concentrating sputum samples, total IgE was detectable in the majority of subjects. Sputum IgE was raised in asthmatics when compared to healthy subjects. Overall, asthmatics did not significantly differ from healthy subjects with respect to cytokine levels. The eosinophilic asthma phenotype, however, was characterised by raised sputum tIgE, IL-5 and IL-13 compared to healthy subjects (p<0.001, p<0.001 and p<0.05 respectively) and pauci-granulocytic asthma (p<0.01, p<0.001 and p<0.05 respectively) and raised IL-5 compared to neutrophilic asthma (p<0.01). When patients were classified according to sputum IgE levels, it appeared that IL-5, IL-6, IL-17 and TNF-α sputum supernatant levels were raised in the "IgE high" asthmatics (IgE ≥0.1 kU/l) when compared to "IgE low" asthmatics (IgE<0.1 kU/l).

Conclusion: The eosinophilic asthma phenotype was associated with raised sputum IgE and a Th2 cytokine profile. Raised sputum IgE was associated with a heterogeneous cytokine overproduction.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: This work was supported by PAI (pôle d'attraction interuniversitaire) grant P7/30: Belgian Aireway study consortium II and unrestricted research grants from GSK, Astrazeneca and Novartis. The commercial support does not alter the authors' adherence to all the PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Sputum total IgE in asthmatics according to sputum cellular profile.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Correlation between sputum total IgE and serum total IgE in asthmatics.
Figure 3
Figure 3. IL-5 and IL-13 levels in asthmatics according sputum cellular profile.
Figure 4
Figure 4. Cytokine levels in “IgE high” and “IgE low” asthmatics.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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