Saliva and Serum Eosinophil Cationic Protein in Asthmatic Children and Adolescents with and without Allergic Sensitization

Abstract

Saliva eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) is higher in asthmatic adults than in healthy ones. However, its relationship with asthma severity, other atopic conditions and allergic sensitization have not been reported. Saliva collection is painless, readily acceptable to children and parents, and can be a potentially useful body fluid to measure asthma biomarkers. We recruited 102 physician-diagnosed young asthmatic subjects from outpatient clinics with change in FEV(1) > or = 12% with inhaled salbutamol and collected data on asthma severity, concurrent allergic rhinitis (AR) and atopic dermatitis (AD), and medication used (bronchodilator and corticosteroid). We measured whole saliva and serum ECP and performed skin prick tests (SPT) for three dust mites (Dermatophagoides pteronyssisinus, Dermatophagoides farinae and Blomia tropicalis) and two cockroaches (Periplaneta americana and Blatella germanica). Median salivary ECP was 84.6 microg/l (inter-quartile range [IQR]: 40.9-147.9) and median serum ECP was 14.7 microg/l (IQR: 6.4-32.1). Serum ECP was only higher in children whose sleep was disturbed by asthma in the past year than those who were not (geometric mean [GM]: 18.9 vs. 11.1 microg/l, relative mean difference [RMD]: 1.71 [95%CI: 1.09-2.69]). Serum ECP was increased among asthmatic children on inhaled corticosteroid than those not using them (GM: 15.6 vs. 8.1 microg/l, RMD: 1.93 [95%CI: 1.11-3.39]). Salivary ECP was not associated with asthma severity, concurrence of atopic conditions, medications used, or any SPT parameter. Saliva ECP did not correlate with serum ECP (r(s) = 0.032, p = 0.790). Salivary and serum ECP did not correlate with wheal size for any skin prick test.

Climatic Factors Correlate with Innate Immune Response in Children with Dermatophagoides farinae-Induced Allergic Asthma

“…As DF-sIgE is an important marker for allergy to D. farinae, this suggests that a higher reproduction rate for D. farinae at optimum temperature and relative humidity 13 17 ECP is an important indicator of eosinophil activation, 18 and serum ECP levels have been shown to be increased in children with allergic rhinitis or asthma compared with healthy children, and in acute asthma compared with asthma in catabasis. 7 Eosinophil count and ECP level may, therefore, reflect the status of allergic inflammation. 8 As a proinflammatory factor, MIF inhibits migration of macrophages and regulates T cell proliferation and activation; it also plays a regulatory role in chronic inflammation.…”

New concept in allergy: Non-allergic rats becomes allergic after induced by Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide

“…Blood serum was taken via tail vein during experimental procedures and from the heart after eutahanasia. The allergic reaction was measured based on the modulation of allergic reaction biomarkers that was leukotriene C4 (LTC4) 16 which produced by mast cells and basophils; and eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) 17 The classic concept by Strachan in 1989 "the Hygiene Hypothesis" which simply interpreted as "cleanliness makes allergy" was the prime barrier for our concept since it was believed by laymen or by allergic specialist. Our concept so called as "dental plaque-induced asthma hypothesis" was considered controversial before conducting a clinical study.…”

“…Nevertheless, interestingly, Ovalbumin inhalation resulted in significant increase of LTC4 and ECP expressions in gingival and bronchus tissues (p=0.001), except ECP expression in bronchus 1,0 μg/mL PgLPS 1435/1450 injection (p=0.065) ( Table 2). It was logical since according to literatures OVA inhalation increased LTC4 16 and ECP 17 in OVA-induced allergic rats. Neverheless, this result was "out of the box" since without any previous OVA-induced allergy injection, allergic reaction also occured.…”

“…Therefore, in this study, it was used for mimicking naïve PgLPS characteristics which was both TLR2 and TLR4 ligands. The allergic reaction was measured based on the modulation of allergic reaction biomarkers that was leukotriene C4 (LTC4) 16 which produced by mast cells and basophils; and eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) 17 which produced by eosinophils in gingival and bronchus tissues. Other examination was IL-4 18 and IgE 19 serum level.…”

Eosinophil catonic protein – current concepts and controversies

“…Sali va sam pli ng is a sim ple and no nin va si ve pro cedu re, rea di ly ac cep tab le to chil dren. Cor re la tion be tween se rum ECP and sa li va ECP con cen tra tion is not con fi r med (80). For the rou ti ne ECP de ter mina tion in sa li va it is ne ces sa ry to stan dar di ze the sam pli ng met hod and in ves ti ga te the cli ni cal uti lity of su ch la bo ra to ry re su lt (54).…”