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Quantitative cytokine gene expression in CF airway.
Marianne S Muhlebach1, William Reed, Terry L Noah
1Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7220, USA. marianne_muhlebach@med.unc.edu
Pediatric Pulmonology
|April 20, 2004
Summary
Early in cystic fibrosis (CF), interleukin-8 (IL-8) mRNA is significantly increased in the lung epithelium of young patients. This suggests elevated IL-8 in airway secretions may contribute to inflammation in CF infants.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Immunology
- Pediatric Research
Background:
- Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is characterized by increased airway inflammation.
- Abnormal cytokine regulation is implicated in CF pathogenesis.
- Quantitative in vivo data on cytokine production in young CF patients are limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate IL-8 mRNA abundance in lung epithelial and inflammatory cells in young CF patients compared to non-CF controls.
- To explore the role of IL-8 in early-stage CF airway inflammation.
Main Methods:
- Bronchial epithelial cells (BEC) and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cells (BALFC) were collected from 17 CF and 21 non-CF children (<5 years old).
- Real-time PCR was used to quantify IL-8 mRNA expression, normalized to GAPDH.
- Cellular mRNA expression was compared between CF and non-CF groups.
Main Results:
- IL-8 mRNA abundance in BEC was significantly higher in CF patients (14.8 +/- 3.3) than in non-CF controls (4.2 +/- 0.6).
- This difference persisted even when stratified by infection status.
- While IL-8 mRNA in BALFC did not reach statistical significance, BALF cell counts were higher in CF patients.
Conclusions:
- Early in CF, IL-8 mRNA expression is elevated in bronchial epithelial cells in vivo.
- Increased inflammatory cell density in CF BALF may contribute to higher IL-8 levels in airway secretions.
- IL-8 plays a role in the early inflammatory response in pediatric CF.