Plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels are associated with clinical severity in school age children with asthma

• Published in: Clinical and experimental allergy 2010-12, Vol.40 (12), p.1755-1759
• Main Authors: Müller, G. C., Pitrez, P. M., Teixeira, A. L., Pires, P. S., Jones, M. H., Stein, R. T., Bauer, M. E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Age; Allergic diseases; Asthma; Asthma - blood; Asthma - physiopathology; BDNF; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers - blood; Brain; Brain-derived neurotrophic factor; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor - blood; Chemokines, CC - blood; Child; Children; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Humans; Inflammation; inflammatory cytokines; Leukocyte migration; Leukocytes; Pediatrics; Plasma; Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor - blood; Respiratory tract; severe asthma; Severity of Illness Index
• ISSN: 0954-7894; 1365-2222
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.2010.03618.x

Summary Background Asthma is characterized by chronic inflammation of the airways with significant changes in leucocyte trafficking, cellular activation and tissue remodelling. Brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been involved with asthma and allergic diseases but its role as a severity marker in paediatric asthma has not been clinically assessed. Objectives To evaluate plasma BDNF and inflammatory markers in order to address their relationships with disease severity in children (6–15 years) with controlled persistent asthma. Methods Children with persistent asthma were selected and lung function and skin prick tests were performed in all patients. Plasma BDNF levels and various inflammatory markers (CCL3, CCL11, CCL22, CCL24, CXCL8, CXCL9, CXCL10, soluble TNF receptors) were assessed by ELISAs. Results Subjects with moderate and severe asthma had higher BDNF levels than mild asthma and controls (P