J Korean Med Sci.  2000 Oct;15(5):521-528. 10.3346/jkms.2000.15.5.521.

Effects of prednisolone on eosinophils, IL-5, eosinophil cationic protein, EG2+ eosinophils, and nitric oxide metabolites in the sputum of patients with exacerbated asthma

• Jang AS
• Choi IS
• Koh YI
• Jeong TK
• Lee KY
• Kim YS
• Lee JU
• Park CS

• KMID: 965873
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2000.15.5.521

Abstract

Corticosteroids are considered to be one of the most effective medicine for asthma by suppressing airway inflammation. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of prednisolone in the sputum of exacerbated asthmatics. Clinical severity, cell differentials, levels of interleukin (IL)-5, eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), EG2+ eosinophils, and nitric oxide (NO) metabolites were measured. Sputum was examined 2 weeks apart in 13 exacerbated asthmatics before and after prednisolone treatment, and once in 12 stable asthmatics. We used a sandwich ELISA for IL-5, fluoroimmunoassay for ECP, immunohistochemical staining for EG2+ eosinophils, a NO metabolites assay using modified Griess reaction. Exacerbated asthmatics, in comparison with stable asthmatics, had significantly higher proportion of eosinophils, higher level of ECP, higher percentage of EG2+ eosinophils, and NO metabolites. Exacerbated asthmatics after treatment with prednisolone had reduced the proportions of eosinophils, reduced level of IL-5, ECP and percentage of EG2+ eosinophils. FEV1 was correlated with the proportion of eosinophils, ECP, and IL-5 respectively. These findings suggest that prednisolone is considered to be effective medicine for asthma by suppressing eosinophil activation through IL-5.

Keyword

Adrenal Cortex Hormones; Sputum; Airway Inflammation

MeSH Terms

Administration, Oral
Adolescence
Adrenal Cortex/metabolism
Adult
Aged
Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Steroidal/administration & dosage*
Asthma/metabolism
Asthma/immunology*
Asthma/drug therapy*
Biological Markers
Blood Proteins/metabolism*
Eosinophils/metabolism
Eosinophils/immunology
Eosinophils/drug effects*
Female
Human
Interleukin-5/metabolism*
Leukocyte Count
Male
Middle Age
Nitric Oxide/metabolism
Prednisolone/administration & dosage*
Sputum/immunology
Sputum/cytology