The relationship between eosinophilia and airway remodelling in mild asthma
The relationship between eosinophilia and airway remodelling in mild asthma
Background
Eosinophilia is a marker of corticosteroid responsiveness and risk of exacerbation in asthma; although it has been linked to submucosal matrix deposition, its relationship with other features of airway remodelling is less clear.
Objective
The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between airway eosinophilia and airway remodelling.
Methods
Bronchial biopsies from subjects (n = 20 in each group) with mild steroid-naïve asthma, with either low (0–0.45 mm?2)) or high submucosal eosinophil (23.43–46.28 mm?2) counts and healthy controls were assessed for in vivo epithelial damage (using epidermal growth factor receptor staining), mucin expression, airway smooth muscle (ASM) hypertrophy and inflammatory cells within ASM.
Results
The proportion of in vivo damaged epithelium was significantly greater (P = 0.02) in the high-eosinophil (27.37%) than the low-eosinophil (4.14%) group. Mucin expression and goblet cell numbers were similar in the two eosinophil groups; however, MUC-2 expression was increased (P = 0.002) in the high-eosinophil group compared with controls. The proportion of submucosa occupied by ASM was higher in both asthma groups (P = 0.021 and P = 0.046) compared with controls. In the ASM, eosinophil and T-lymphocyte numbers were higher (P < 0.05) in the high-eosinophil group than both the low-eosinophil group and the controls, whereas the numbers of mast cells were increased in the high-eosinophil group (P = 0.01) compared with controls.
Conclusion
Submucosal eosinophilia is a marker (and possibly a cause) of epithelial damage and is related to infiltration of ASM with eosinophils and T lymphocytes, but is unrelated to mucus metaplasia or smooth muscle hypertrophy.
1342-1350
Wilson, S.J.
21c6875d-6870-441b-ae7a-603562a646b8
Rigden, H.M.
149cc69f-538b-4bfb-8e5b-a2c97b431b9f
Ward, J.A.
a8107b98-069d-4263-bd70-d29d79f07edc
Laviolette, M
063c3641-6635-4152-b60e-46ad616e007e
Jarjour, N.N.
4f3f465e-2cd6-41c7-9476-774d2355e33e
Djukanović, R.
6dc9b93b-3da2-4ef2-b4cb-8fb873e4dbae
December 2013
Wilson, S.J.
21c6875d-6870-441b-ae7a-603562a646b8
Rigden, H.M.
149cc69f-538b-4bfb-8e5b-a2c97b431b9f
Ward, J.A.
a8107b98-069d-4263-bd70-d29d79f07edc
Laviolette, M
063c3641-6635-4152-b60e-46ad616e007e
Jarjour, N.N.
4f3f465e-2cd6-41c7-9476-774d2355e33e
Djukanović, R.
6dc9b93b-3da2-4ef2-b4cb-8fb873e4dbae
Wilson, S.J., Rigden, H.M., Ward, J.A., Laviolette, M, Jarjour, N.N. and Djukanović, R.
(2013)
The relationship between eosinophilia and airway remodelling in mild asthma.
Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 43 (12), .
(doi:10.1111/cea.12156).
(PMID:15140415)
Abstract
Background
Eosinophilia is a marker of corticosteroid responsiveness and risk of exacerbation in asthma; although it has been linked to submucosal matrix deposition, its relationship with other features of airway remodelling is less clear.
Objective
The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between airway eosinophilia and airway remodelling.
Methods
Bronchial biopsies from subjects (n = 20 in each group) with mild steroid-naïve asthma, with either low (0–0.45 mm?2)) or high submucosal eosinophil (23.43–46.28 mm?2) counts and healthy controls were assessed for in vivo epithelial damage (using epidermal growth factor receptor staining), mucin expression, airway smooth muscle (ASM) hypertrophy and inflammatory cells within ASM.
Results
The proportion of in vivo damaged epithelium was significantly greater (P = 0.02) in the high-eosinophil (27.37%) than the low-eosinophil (4.14%) group. Mucin expression and goblet cell numbers were similar in the two eosinophil groups; however, MUC-2 expression was increased (P = 0.002) in the high-eosinophil group compared with controls. The proportion of submucosa occupied by ASM was higher in both asthma groups (P = 0.021 and P = 0.046) compared with controls. In the ASM, eosinophil and T-lymphocyte numbers were higher (P < 0.05) in the high-eosinophil group than both the low-eosinophil group and the controls, whereas the numbers of mast cells were increased in the high-eosinophil group (P = 0.01) compared with controls.
Conclusion
Submucosal eosinophilia is a marker (and possibly a cause) of epithelial damage and is related to infiltration of ASM with eosinophils and T lymphocytes, but is unrelated to mucus metaplasia or smooth muscle hypertrophy.
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More information
Accepted/In Press date: 3 June 2013
e-pub ahead of print date: 22 November 2013
Published date: December 2013
Organisations:
Faculty of Health Sciences, Clinical & Experimental Sciences
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 384256
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/384256
ISSN: 0954-7894
PURE UUID: 76e4accf-d6ea-4bcb-b08f-da4c5ce474d0
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Date deposited: 20 Nov 2015 14:34
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 02:57
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Contributors
Author:
H.M. Rigden
Author:
J.A. Ward
Author:
M Laviolette
Author:
N.N. Jarjour
Author:
R. Djukanović
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