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Asthma during pregnancy alters immune cell profile and airway epithelial chemokine release

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Abstract

Objective

Pregnancy can influence the course of maternal asthma, but the mechanisms are presently unknown. The aim of the present study was to access maternal immune cell profiles in the presence and absence of asthma and to determine the effect of pregnancy-derived factors on epithelial cell function.

Methods

Cells from the human bronchial epithelial cell line BEAS-2B were treated with plasma from pregnant or nonpregnant asthmatic and nonasthmatic subjects. Cell culture supernatants were collected after 24 h and assayed for IL-6, IL-8, eotaxin, RANTES and sICAM-1 protein using ELISA. Maternal immune cell count and peripheral blood chemotactic response to plasma from pregnant and non-pregnant asthmatic subjects were also assessed.

Results

The presence of maternal asthma during pregnancy was associated with increased monocyte and neutrophil numbers, increased BEAS-2B cell production of IL-8 and sICAM-1 (P < 0.05) and increased chemotactic capacity relative to pregnant women without asthma.

Conclusion

The results of this study suggest that circulating pregnancy-related factors enhance chemotactic mediators in epithelial cells in the presence of asthma. This may be one mechanism that contributes to pregnancy-induced changes in asthma.

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Acknowledgments

This work is supported by The Asthma Foundation of New South Wales, the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia, the NSW Department of Health and the Hunter Medical Research Institute. Dr. Vicki Clifton was a recipient of the Arthur Wilson Memorial Scholarship from the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Research Foundation.

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Author notes

  1. Vicki L. Clifton

    Present address: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Robinson Institute, University of Adelaide, Frome Rd, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Endocrinology, Mothers and Babies Research Centre, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Locked Bag 1, Hunter Regional Mail Centre, Newcastle, NSW, 2310, Australia

    Annette Osei-Kumah, Roger Smith & Vicki L. Clifton

  2. Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW, Australia

    Peter A. B. Wark

  3. Priority Research Centre for Asthma and Respiratory Disease, Faculty of Health, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, 2308, Australia

    Peter A. B. Wark

  4. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Robinson Institute, University of Adelaide, Frome Rd, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia

    Annette Osei-Kumah

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  1. Annette Osei-Kumah
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Correspondence to Vicki L. Clifton.

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Osei-Kumah, A., Wark, P.A.B., Smith, R. et al. Asthma during pregnancy alters immune cell profile and airway epithelial chemokine release. Inflamm. Res. 59, 349–358 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00011-009-0102-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00011-009-0102-y

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