Eosinophil protein in airway macrophages: a novel biomarker of eosinophilic inflammation in patients with asthma.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Noneosinophilic asthma is common across asthma severities. However, in patients with moderate-to-severe disease, the absence of sputum eosinophilia cannot distinguish between asthmatic subjects with eosinophilic inflammation controlled by corticosteroids versus those in whom eosinophilic inflammation is not a component of the disease.

Objectives

We sought to develop a method to quantify eosinophil proteins in airway macrophages as a novel biomarker of eosinophilic airway inflammation.

Methods

Eosinophil proteins in airway macrophages were assessed by means of flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, and cytoplasmic hue change after ingestion of apoptotic eosinophils. Airway macrophage median percentage of red-hued area in stained sputum cytospin preparations was

SUBMITTER: Kulkarni NS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3992372 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature