Allergy.  1995 Dec;15(4):632-642.

Serum eosinophil cathionic protein and tryptase concentrations in atopic asthmatic patients after allergen bronchial challenge

• Lee YC
• Rhee YK
• Park TS
• Ko JG

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Bronchial asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease that is characterized by reversible bronchospasm, airway hyperresponsiveness and airway inflammation. Human mast cells likely play a significant role in human asthma. Tryptase, a neutral protease selectively concentrated in the secretory granules of human mast cells, is released by mast cells mainly, and serves as a marker of mast cell activation. Eosinophilic eationic protein (ECP)is found in the granules in the eosinophiIs. In several studies, the serum levels of ECP were significantly correlated to the levels found in the BAL fluid, and are often elevated in allergic disease. Their measurements may give eosinophil involvement in the pathologic process. To evaluate the roles of eosinophils and mast cells in the allergen induced asthmatic inflammatory reactions, we investigated the changes of serum ECP and tryptase with time after allergen challenge in atopie bronchial asthma.
METHODS
We attempted to measure the serum levels of tryptase and ECP from 17 patients with atopic bronchial asthma. ECP and tryptase levels in sera from patients were measured at 30min, 2hrs, 8hrs after allergen challenge with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus or Dermatophagoides farinae and prechallenge periods.
RESULTS
1. ECP levels in sera from patients with bronchial asthma in prechallenge conditions were higher than from normal control group. 2. There was increasing tendency of serum ECP levels with time in atopic asthmatic patients, and was the significant increases of seum ECP levels of 8hrs after allergen challenge in dual asthmatic response group. 3. Tryptase levels in sera from patients with bronchial asthma were not significant difference between prechallenge and postch allenge levels.
CONCLUSION
These results suggest that the serum ECP levels may serve as a useful marker reflecting the role of eosinophil in the late asthmatic reactions, but the serum tryptase levels may not serve as a marker reflecting the role of mast cells in the asthmatic inflammatory reactions. Further sensitive method for the measurement of serum tryptase is needed to develop.

MeSH Terms

Asthma
Bronchial Spasm
Dermatophagoides farinae
Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus
Eosinophils*
Humans
Inflammation
Mast Cells
Secretory Vesicles
Tryptases*
Tryptases