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Annals of allergy, asthma & immunology: official publication of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology 05/2013; 110(5):386-7. · 2.83 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The aim of the study was to establish bronchial inflammation status and to measure eicosanoids in sputum obtained from active elite athletes. A total of 68 subjects were enrolled. Twelve were non-athletes and non-asthmatic (NAtNAs), 21 non-athlete asthmatics (NAtAs), 11 athlete non-asthmatics (AtNAs), and 24 athletes with asthma (AtAs) with positive indirect or direct bronchial challenges. Induced sputum was used to measure cells and eicosanoids. Sputum differential cell counts in all the subject groups revealed eosinophilia with the exception of NAtNAs control subjects. Athletes with and without diagnosed asthma showed a significant increase in bronchial epithelial cells and lymphocytes present in their sputum. Also, flow cytometry revealed that a significantly higher number of basophils were present in sputum from athletes (without and with asthma) when compared with non-athletes (without and with asthma). Asthmatic athletes and non-athletes showed a higher increase in LTC(4) levels and PGE(2) metabolites in sputum when compared with healthy controls. The present study identifies basophils as a new player present in athletes bronchial inflammation defining athlete status and not necessarily associated with exercise-induced bronchoconstriction.
Arbeitsphysiologie 08/2012; · 2.15 Impact Factor
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Pediatric Allergy and Immunology 08/2012; 23(5):501-3. · 2.46 Impact Factor
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Annals of allergy, asthma & immunology: official publication of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology 06/2012; 108(6):461-2. · 2.83 Impact Factor
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The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology 02/2012; 129(2):566-7. · 9.17 Impact Factor
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Annals of allergy, asthma & immunology: official publication of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology 11/2011; 107(5):459-60. · 2.83 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Several cases of allergic contact dermatitis, two cases of occupational asthma from over one decade ago and one case of hypersensitivity pneumonitis have been documented in painters who use polyester powder paint containing triglycidyl isocyanurate (TGIC).
We report a 28-year-old female who, 4 months after beginning work in a powder-coating factory, developed asthma-like symptoms. In her workplace, aluminium frames were treated with an electrostatic powder paint containing 2.5-10% TGIC.
Serial peak-flow measurements performed during both working and non-working periods demonstrated peak-flow variability of up to 46% on work days. Bronchial methacholine test results also varied between times at work and away from work. PC(20) methacholine was 0.32 mg/ml and fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) was 18 ppb. A controlled exposure challenge was performed with a placebo yielding no changes in FEV(1) over a 24-hour period. On visit 2, the patient was placed in the chamber and exposed to TGIC (4% in lactose) at a mean concentration of 3.61 mg/m(3) for a total of 15 min. A 20% fall in FEV(1) from baseline was elicited at 10 min, together with cough and wheezing. No late response was demonstrated. Twenty-four hours after the challenge, neither methacholine PC(20) nor FENO levels varied from baseline values. No IgE was detected by ELISA testing and no IgE-binding bands were found by immunoblot analysis of patient and control serum.
The aforementioned results demonstrate that TGIC inhalation induced immunologic occupational asthma, although no IgE mechanism was evidenced.
Archiv für Gewerbepathologie und Gewerbehygiene 06/2011; 84(5):547-9. · 1.89 Impact Factor
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Annals of allergy, asthma & immunology: official publication of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology 05/2011; 106(5):448-9. · 2.83 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Bronchial hyperresponsiveness is usually measured by bronchial challenge test with direct (e.g., methacholine) and indirect (e.g., adenosine) agonists. There are few studies comparing both types of agents and they have had conflicting concordance.
We sought to compare the results of both tests in a population with symptoms suggestive of asthma so as to determine their relationship with bronchial inflammatory markers.
Seventy-nine patients whose age ranged from 14 to 81 years were recruited for this study. Challenge tests were performed using the tidal volume method. PC₂₀ methacholine and PC₁₅ and PC₂₀ adenosine were calculated. Induced sputum and fraction of exhaled nitric oxide measurements were also performed.
Atopy was found in 69% of the patients. Methacholine PC₂₀ and adenosine PC₁₅ were positive in 32 patients (40.5%), both having a sensitivity of 73%. Percentage of agreement was 45.45% and κ index was only 0.369. Adenosine PC₂₀ elicited lower sensitivity and agreement. No correlation between methacholine PC₂₀ and adenosine PC₁₅ was observed. Higher fraction of exhaled nitric oxide values and sputum eosinophil counts were seen in patients with positive adenosine challenge results. The use of adenosine PC₁₅ or PC₂₀ did not alter the association with inflammatory markers.
The concordance between both techniques was low. Methacholine is not a reliable predictor of hyperresponsiveness to adenosine, leading us to conclude that the two tests are complementary but not interchangeable in clinical practice. Additionally, responsiveness to the two bronchoconstrictor stimuli does not indicate presence of the same airway abnormality. Indirect stimuli provide a better reflection of bronchial inflammation.
Journal of Asthma 05/2011; 48(4):335-40. · 1.52 Impact Factor
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The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology 03/2011; 128(2):416-8. · 9.17 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Non-asthmatic eosinophilic bronchitis (NAEB) is characterized by chronic cough and sputum eosinophilia without bronchial hyperresponsiveness. The aim of the present study is to determine whether increased levels of PGE(2) from NAEB sputum supernatants play a protective role in airway inflammation and muscular hyperplasia. Twenty-one patients with NAEB, 15 asthmatic patients, and 12 healthy subjects were studied. An up-regulated PGE(2) enzymatic pathway was observed in bronchial biopsies from patients with NAEB as compared with samples from asthmatic patients. Also, EP2 and EP4 receptor expression was increased in these samples. BSMC proliferation was inhibited to a greater extent in NAEB sputum supernatants than in those taken from asthmatic subjects and healthy controls. This inhibition was mostly due to PGE(2) levels, a fact which was confirmed by employing synthetic EP2 and EP4 agonist and antagonist receptors.These findings suggest that PGE(2) inhibits BSMC proliferation entailing a reduction of smooth muscle hyperplasia and thus protecting against the onset of airflow obstruction.
Prostaglandins & other lipid mediators 03/2011; 95(1-4):11-8. · 2.70 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Asthma and nonasthmatic eosinophilic bronchitis (NAEB) are respiratory disorders characterized by a predominance of Th2 cells and eosinophilic inflammation. Suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins play an important role in Th2-mediated allergic responses through control of the balance between Th1 and Th2 cells, particularly, SOCS3 and SOCS5. The aim of this study was to analyze SOCS expression in human peripheral blood eosinophils from patients with asthma, NAEB and healthy controls. SOCS expression in eosinophils from subjects was demonstrated by different techniques. Results showed that expression of SOCS3 in eosinophils and CD4 T cells from patients was higher than in healthy subjects. In addition, we demonstrated that prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) and Th2 cytokines are able to upregulate SOCS3 production in eosinophils and attenuate its degranulation. In conclusion, eosinophils are able to transcribe and translate SOCS3 protein and can contribute to the regulation of the Th1/Th2 balance through SOCS3 production.
Clinical and Developmental Immunology 01/2011; 2011:917015. · 1.84 Impact Factor
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Occupational and environmental medicine 11/2010; 67(11):798-9. · 3.64 Impact Factor
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The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology 10/2010; 126(4):869-71. · 9.17 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Symptoms of obstructive lung disease in domestic cleaning staff have been related to the use of bleach and other irritant cleaning products.
Included in the study were thirteen cleaning employees with work-related asthma-like symptoms, three asthmatic controls and three atopic subjects without bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) who had no exposure to cleaning products. The study protocol consisted of a methacholine test, sputum induction and fraction of exhaled nitric oxide measurement (FENO) both at baseline and 24 hr after a 1-hr inhalation challenge with either placebo or bleach at a concentration of 0.4 ppm of chlorine.
The inhalation of the placebo caused no bronchial reactions. Mean maximum fall in FEV(1) during challenge testing with bleach was significantly higher than the values obtained during the placebo challenge. Inhalation challenge with bleach elicited two isolated late asthmatic reactions and one dual asthmatic reaction. Of all the patients who underwent challenge testing with bleach, only one had a ≥2-fold decrease in methacholine PC(20) 24 hr after the challenge. No significant correlation was found between maximum fall in FEV(1) and PC(20) methacholine. Following challenge testing with bleach, no clinically significant changes in sputum cell counts or FENO were detected.
These results suggest that bleach inhalation at a concentration of 0.4 ppm-a concentration below 8-hr permissible occupational exposure level-brings about a substantial decrease in FEV1 in subjects with and without BHR. Some subjects have a positive challenge response to bleach inhalation.
American Journal of Industrial Medicine 10/2010; 54(4):293-9. · 1.63 Impact Factor
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Annals of allergy, asthma & immunology: official publication of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology 06/2010; 104(6):540-2. · 2.83 Impact Factor
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The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology 03/2010; 125(3):762-4. · 9.17 Impact Factor
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Javier Cuesta-Herranz,
Domingo Barber,
Carlos Blanco,
Ana Cistero-Bahíma,
Jesús F Crespo,
Montserrat Fernández-Rivas,
Javier Fernández-Sánchez,
J Fernando Florido,
M Dolores Ibáñez,
Rosalía Rodríguez, [......],
Joaquin Quiralte,
Julia Rodriguez,
Rosa Sánchez-Monge,
Andrea Vereda,
Mayte Villalba,
M Dolores Alonso Díaz de Durana,
Maria Basagaña,
Teresa Carrillo, Mar Fernández-Nieto,
Ana I Tabar
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ABSTRACT: A considerable number of pollen-allergic patients develops allergy to plant foods, which has been attributed to cross-reactivity between food and pollen allergens. The aim of this study was to analyze the differences among pollen-allergic patients with and without plant food allergy.
Eight hundred and six patients were recruited from 8 different hospitals. Each clinical research group included 100 patients (50 plant food-allergic patients and 50 pollen-allergic patients). Diagnosis of pollen allergy was based on typical case history of pollen allergy and positive skin prick tests. Diagnosis of plant-food allergy was based on clear history of plant-food allergy, skin prick tests and/or plant-food challenge tests. A panel of 28 purified allergens from pollens and/or plant foods was used to quantify specific IgE (ADVIA-Centaur® platform).
Six hundred and sixty eight patients (83%) of the 806 evaluated had pollen allergy: 396 patients with pollen allergy alone and 272 patients with associated food and pollen allergies. A comparison of both groups showed a statistically significant increase in the food and pollen allergy subgroup in frequency of: (1) asthma (47 vs. 59%; p < 0.001); (2) positive skin test results to several pollens: Plantago, Platanus, Artemisia, Betula, Parietaria and Salsola (p < 0.001); (3) sensitization to purified allergens: Pru p 3, profilin, Pla a 1 - Pla a 2, Sal k 1, PR-10 proteins and Len c 1.
Results showed relevant and significant differences between both groups of pollen-allergic patients depending on whether or not they suffered from plant-derived food allergy.
International Archives of Allergy and Immunology 01/2010; 153(2):182-92. · 2.40 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: A 55-year-old herpetologist developed rhinitis, asthma, urticaria and anaphylaxis when handling 4 different viper snake venoms. Allergen characterizations were done using SDS-PAGE, IgE immunoblotting and IgE inhibition experiments. The most prominent immunoreactive proteins were analyzed by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, and peptide identity was demonstrated by homology with known peptide sequences. SDS-PAGE showed several protein bands ranging from 5 to 99 kDa in each of the 4 snake venoms. Immunoblotting demonstrated 4 IgE-binding bands in the Bothrops extract of about 60, 28, 14 and 7 kDa. The bands of 28 and 14 kDa were also present in Lachesis muta. Two IgE-binding proteins of about 50 and 35 kDa were found in Bothrops atrox and L. muta, respectively. A strong inhibition of IgE binding to immobilize Bothrops asper proteins was observed after preabsorption of sera with B. asper, B. atrox,Bothrops xanthograma and L. muta extracts. MALDI-TOF analysis showed a 14-kDa phospholipase and the 60- and 28-kDa proteins showed significant similarity with metalloproteinases. In this report we have characterized the snake venom allergens that can elicit IgE-mediated symptoms.
International Archives of Allergy and Immunology 07/2009; 150(3):307-10. · 2.40 Impact Factor
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Annals of allergy, asthma & immunology: official publication of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology 06/2009; 102(5):440-1. · 2.83 Impact Factor
