Is CCL18 a potential biomarker of type-2 asthma endotypes?

Abstract

Objective: This exploratory cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the associations between the chemokine ligand 18 (CCL18) blood level and phenotypic characteristics of asthma.

Methods: We evaluated in a sample of 173 asthmatic adult patients from the Cohort of Bronchial obstruction and Asthma (63.4% women; median age 50 ± interquartile range 27.5 years; median level of CCL18 was 44.1 ± interquartile range 27.5 ng/mL) the association between CCL18 blood level and allergic features of asthma using a multivariate analysis.

Results: We found an association between the log-transformed value of blood CCL18 and age (+0.7% [0.1; 1.3] per 1-year increase, p = 0.033), gender (−25.1% [−42; −3.2] in women, p = 0.029), and nasal polyposis (+38.1% [11.6; 70.9], p = 0.004). No association was observed between CCL18 level and the other main phenotypic characteristics of asthma.

Conclusions: Our exploratory study suggests that CCL18 is not an effective biomarker of allergic asthma endotype but may rather be a biomarker of tissue eosinophilia as supported by its association with nasal polyposis.

Keywords:

• Asthma
• allergic
• phenotype
• endotype
• biomarker
• chemokine
• CCL18

Declaration of interest

There are no specific conflicts of interest for this study.

Helen Fouquet, Jonathan Giovannelli, Patricia de Nadaï and Joanne Balsamelli declare no conflict of interest.

Patrick Berger declares grants from GSK, Novartis, Boehringer, AstraZeneca, Chiesi; personal fees from GSK, Novartis, Boehringer, AstraZeneca, Circassia, Sanofi and Menarini.

Arnaud Bourdin has an advisory board member, congress participant or study investigator, has previously received honoraria, grants or other forms of support from Astra Zeneca, GSK, Boeringher Ingelheim, Novartis, Teva, Regeneron, Chiesi Farmaceuticals, Actelion, Gilead, and Roche.

Pascal Chanez provided consultancy services for Boehringer Ingelheim, Johnson & Johnson, GSK, Merck Sharp & Dohme, AstraZeneca, Novartis, Teva, Chiesi, and Sanofi; has served on advisory boards for Almirall, Boehringer Ingelheim, Johnson & Johnson, GSK, AstraZeneca, Novartis, Teva, Chiesi, and Sanofi; has received lecture fees from Boehringer Ingelheim, Centocor, GSK, AstraZeneca, Novartis, Teva, Chiesi, Boston Scientific, and ALK-Abelló; and received industry-sponsored grants from Roche, Boston Scientific, Boehringer Ingelheim, Centocor, GSK, AstraZeneca, ALK-Abelló, Novartis, Teva, and Chiesi.

Stéphanie Fry declares interventions fees, expertise fees and congress support from GSK, Sanofi aventis, Santelys, SOS oxygene and Vitalaire.

Thierry Perez reports interventions, expertise, grants or congress support for or from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi, GSK, Novartis, Nuvaira

Antoine Magnan reports congress supports from Novartis, Chiesi and AstraZeneca.

Marina Pretolani’s institution has received funds from MedImmune Ltd, Roche and AstraZeneca

Camille Taillé reports grants, congress supports and personal fees from Astra Zeneca, GSK, Novartis, Teva, Chiesi, Sanofi.

Anne Tsicopoulos was invited speaker for ALK, Novartis et AstraZeneca.

Cécile Chenivesse reports interventions, expertise, grants or congress support from ALK-Abello, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi, GlaxoSmithKlein, MEDA Pharma, Medexact, Novartis, Pierre Fabre, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi, Santelys, TEVA.

Authors’ contribution

Helen Fouquet substantially contributed to conception and design of the study, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation of data, participated in revising the manuscript for important intellectual content and gave final approval of the version to be submitted version.

Jonathan Giovannelli and Cécile Chenivesse substantially contributed to conception and design of the study, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation of data, participated in drafting the manuscript and gave final approval of the version to be submitted version.

Patricia de Nadaï and Joanne Balsamelli substantially contributed to acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation of data, participated in revising the manuscript for important intellectual content and gave final approval of the version to be submitted version.

Patrick Berger, Arnaud Bourdin, Pascal Chanez, Stéphanie Fry, Thierry Perez, Antoine Magnan, Marina Pretolani, Camille Taillé, Anne Tsicopoulos substantially contributed to acquisition of data, participated in revising the manuscript for important intellectual content and gave final approval of the version to be submitted version.

Data availability statement

Data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article. Raw data can be provided upon justified request to the corresponding author.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The COBRA cohort was approved by the CPP Ile-de-France I ethics committee (number 09–11962) and all subjects gave their written informed consent.

Additional information

Funding

This project was funded by the Bonus H from CHU Lille.