Role of Thymus and Activation-Regulated Chemokine in Allergic Asthma

Figures & data

Table 1 Demographic Data of the Study Subjects

Variables	Allergic Asthma (n = 75)	Non-Allergic Asthma (n = 53)	HC (n = 70)	P value (HC vs Allergic Asthma)	P value (HC vs Non-Allergic Asthma)	P value (Allergic vs Non-Allergic Asthma)
Age (years)	48.0 (31.0–60.0)	56.0 (48.0–63.0)	47.5 (39.0–56.5)	1.000	0.008	0.002
Sex (female)	46 (62.2%)	37 (69.8%)	41 (58.6%)	0.734	0.257	0.450
Severe asthma (%)	5 (6.8%)	7 (13.2%)	NA	NA	NA	0.236
FeNO (ppb)	21.0 (9.0–49.0)	21.0 (12.5–41.5)	NA	NA	NA	0.983*
Baseline FEV1 (%)	91.7 (83.6–101.3)	93.3 (78.6–102.5)	106.1 (97.6–112.1)	0.001	0.001	1.000
Baseline FVC (%)	93.6 (84.5–100.6)	93.7 (81.7–102.8)	102.9 (93.7–111.1)	0.002	0.004	1.000
FEV1/FVC ratio (%)	85.5 (79.5–91.1)	84.4 (74.9–88.3)	87.0 (74.9–88.3)	0.910	0.060	0.154
Baseline MMEF (%)	74.5 (53.7–92.2)	68.6 (50.2–84.2)	97.5 (83.0–115.0)	0.001	0.001	0.665
Free IgE (ng/mL)	385.0 (114.9–693.1)	72.7 (31.2–183.0)	12.4 (5.2–36.2)	0.001	0.007	0.001
Total IgE (kU/L)	372.0 (109.0–633.5)	84.0 (35.0–194.3)	18.0 (7.0–35.0)	0.001	0.003	0.001
TEC (cells/µL)	222.1 (112.3–420.0)	240.0 (127.5–435.2)	147.0 (77.0–191.4)	0.048	0.025	1.000
Sputum eosinophil count (%)	12.0 (0.0–55.5)	1.0 (0.0–39.3)	NA	NA	NA	0.173*
Sputum neutrophil count (%)	72.5 (37.5–93.0)	80.0 (43.5–90.3)	NA	NA	NA	0.649*
TARC (pg/mL)	108.0 (72.0–173.0)	102.0 (78.0–134.0)	85.0 (56.3–118.8)	0.010	0.224	1.000

Notes: Values are given as n (%) for categorical variables and as median (25–75%) for non normally distributed variables. P values were applied by Pearson chi-square test for categorical variables and by Kruskal–Wallis test or (*) Mann–Whitney U-test for continuous variables.

Abbreviations: FeNO, fractional exhaled nitric oxide; FEV₁, forced expiratory volume in 1s; FVC, forced vital capacity; HC, healthy control; IgE, immunoglobulin E; MMEF, maximal mid-expiratory flow; TEC, total eosinophil count; TARC, thymus and activation-regulated chemokine.

Figure 1 Increased serum thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC) levels in asthmatic patients. Comparison of serum TARC levels (A) between asthmatics and healthy controls (HCs) as well as (B) among allergic asthmatics, nonallergic asthmatics, and HCs. Data are presented as Geometric mean with 95% CI. ^**P < 0.010 by Mann–Whitney U-test or Kruskal–Wallis test. ns, not significant. Significant negative correlations between serum TARC and (C) FEV₁%/(D) MMEF%. Data are represented as Spearman correlation coefficient r (P value). FEV₁, forced expiratory volume in 1 second; MMEF, maximal mid-expiratory flow.

Table 2 Comparison of Demographic Characteristics Between the TARC-High and TARC-Low Groups

Variables	TARC-High (n = 25)	TARC-Low (n = 103)	P value
Age (years)	44.0 (29.0–55.5)	54.0 (42.0–62.0)	0.013
Sex (female, %)	14 (56.0%)	70 (68.0%)	0.259
Severe asthma (%)	2 (8.0%)	10 (9.7%)	0.793
FeNO (ppb)	28.0 (9.5–54.5)	21.0 (13.0–43.0)	0.903
Baseline FEV1 (%)	88.9 (82.9–96.7)	93.6 (83.0–102.6)	0.215
Baseline FVC (%)	90.4 (85.0–97.5)	94.7 (82.4–101.8)	0.545
FEV1/FVC ratio (%)	83.2 (75.8–88.8)	84.9 (77.7–90.0)	0.867
Baseline MMEF (%)	68.4 (51.6–87.2)	73.5 (53.0–91.1)	0.739
Serum free IgE (ng/mL)	431.6 (97.3–625.4)	156.6 (50.4–398.1)	0.031
Serum total IgE (kU/L)	430.0 (95.5–689.5)	154.5 (54.5–395.3)	0.030
TEC (cells/µL)	210.6 (107.1–403.3)	248.2 (151.8–456.0)	0.192
Sputum eosinophil count (%)	12.0 (0.0–64.5)	4.0 (0.0–47.0)	0.474
Sputum neutrophil count (%)	80.0 (17.5–92.5)	78.0 (44.5–91.0)	0.713
Serum EDN (ng/mL)	62.5 (32.5–93.7)	50.1 (36.0–64.1)	0.523
Serum TXB2 (ng/mL)	0.5 (0.2–0.8)	0.3 (0.2–0.5)	0.117
Serum 15-HETE (ng/mL)	1.3 (0.6–2.9)	0.9 (0.5–1.4)	0.046
Serum PGF2α (ng/mL)	0.5 (0.4–1.2)	0.4 (0.3–0.7)	0.117

Notes: Values are given as n (%) for categorical variables and as median (25–75%) for non normally distributed variables. P values were applied by Pearson chi-square test for categorical variables and by Mann–Whitney U-test for continuous variables.

Abbreviations: 15-HETE, 15-Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid; EDN, eosinophil-derived neurotoxin; FeNO, fractional exhaled nitric oxide; FEV₁, forced expiratory volume in 1s; FVC, forced vital capacity; IgE, immunoglobulin E; MMEF, maximal mid-expiratory flow; PGF2α, prostaglandin F2α; TXB2, thromboxane B2; TEC, total eosinophil count; TARC, thymus and activation-regulated chemokine.

Figure 2 Comparison of serum free and total IgE levels between the activation-regulated chemokine (TARC)-high and TARC-low groups. Concentrations of serum levels of (A) free and (B) total IgE between the TARC-high and TARC-low groups. Data are presented as Geometric mean with 95% CI. *P < 0.050 by Mann–Whitney U-test. IgE, immunoglobulin E.

Figure 3 Correlations between serum thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC) levels and EDN/lipid mediators. Positive correlations between serum TARC and (A) EDN/ (B) 15-HETE/ (C) TXB2 levels. Data are represented as Pearson correlation coefficient r (P value). Positive correlations between serum 15-HETE and (D) free IgE/ (E) total IgE levels. Data are represented as Spearman correlation coefficient r (P value). 15-HETE, 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid; EDN, eosinophil-derived neurotoxin; TXB2, thromboxane B2.