Peripheral Blood Neutrophil Activity During Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus-Induced Late-Phase Airway Inflammation in Patients with Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma

Abstract

Recent investigations suggest that neutrophils may play an important role in the late-phase allergen-induced inflammation in allergic airway diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate neutrophil chemotaxis, phagocytic activity, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma challenged with inhaled Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus. Eighteen patients with allergic rhinitis and 14 with allergic asthma, all sensitized to D. pteronyssinus, as well as 15 healthy individuals underwent bronchial challenge with D. pteronyssinus. Peripheral blood collection and neutrophil isolation were performed 24 h before as well as 7 and 24 h after bronchial challenge. Neutrophils chemotaxis, phagocytic activity, and ROS production were analyzed by flow cytometer. Neutrophil chemotaxis and ROS production were increased, while phagocytic activity was decreased 24 h before challenge in patient groups compared with healthy individuals. After challenge, neutrophil chemotaxis and phagocytic activity increased after 7 and 24 h, when ROS production, only after 24 h. Bronchial allergen challenge had no influence for neutrophils activity in healthy subjects. Activated chemotaxis, phagocytic activity, and ROS production of peripheral blood neutrophils after challenge with D. pteronyssinus reflect an enhanced systemic inflammation in allergic rhinitis and asthma patients with induced late-phase airway inflammation.

Aberrant function of neutrophils in asthma

“…Moreover, short-term corticosteroid treatment (3-6 months) was insufficient in restoring proper phagocytic function of neutrophils [24] . Though phagocytic activity was increased after challenge in patients with asthma, it was still not sufficiently effective [19] . The significant decrease in phagocytosis of neutrophils shown in asthma contributed to the progression of late-phase allergen-induced airway inflammation [19,25] .…”

“…Though phagocytic activity was increased after challenge in patients with asthma, it was still not sufficiently effective [19] . The significant decrease in phagocytosis of neutrophils shown in asthma contributed to the progression of late-phase allergen-induced airway inflammation [19,25] . ROS Release of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the mechanism of respiratory burst is one of the main functions of neutrophils.…”

“…Our previous study also demonstrated that neutrophils from steroid-resistant asthma released more IL-8 at the presence of asthmatics serum, which might contribute to additional recruitment and activation of neutrophils in a positive feedback manner [18] . Moreover, Lavinskiene et al reported that the migration of neutrophils to the airways after allergen challenge was increased in asthmatic comparing to non-asthmatic subjects, because they were more sensitive to IL-8 stimulation [19] . Though, a previous study indicated that neutrophils from mild asthmatic subjects exhibited impaired chemotaxis velocity in the presence of IL-8 and fMLP (formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine) compared with non-asthmatic patients suffering from allergic rhinitis.…”

“…The effects of reactive oxygen species in asthma include decreased beta-adrenergic function in lungs, airway smooth muscle contraction, increased vascular permeability, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, increased mucus secretion, impaired ciliary activity, generation of chemotactic factors and lipid peroxidation, and secondary production of mediators with a bronchoconstrictor effect [27] . It has been demonstrated that neutrophils purified from bronchoalveolarlavage fluid and peripheral blood from patients with allergic asthma released significantly higher quantities of ROS compared to healthy individuals [13,19,[27][28][29] . In mice mode of asthma, the gp91phox deficiency mice, the dominant superoxide generating enzyme in neutrophils, had decreased ROS production, and attenuated allergic inflammatory response to allergen challenge [30] .…”

“…Activated neutrophils in allergic patients cause the subsequent release of intracellular toxic oxidants and enzymes, which in turn activate proteases leading to more intensive ROS production. And intensive ROS production activates redox-sensitive signaling cascades, stimulates production of proinflammatory cytokines, and promotes inflammation and lung damage [19] .…”