Journal Article

Eosinophil Progenitors in Patients With Non-Asthmatic Eosinophilic Bronchitis, Eosinophilic Asthma, and Normal Controls

Zhong, Shuxin, Sivapalan, Dhinesan, Li, Jing, Zhan, Chen, Zhong, Nanshan, Liu, Jiaxing, Sehmi, Roma, O’Byrne, Paul M., Chen, Ruchong, Li, Bizhou, Lai, Kefang, de Silva, S. Dushinka Shaniya Helen, Xu, Rong, Luo, Wei, Zhang, Shengfang, Liang, Wanqin, Fang, Liman

2022

Overview

This study aims to explore the potential of airway differentiation of eosinophil progenitors (EoPs) and hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) in sputum and peripheral blood from patients with non-asthmatic eosinophilic bronchitis (NAEB), eosinophilic asthma (EA), and healthy controls (HC). Using flow cytometry, we enumerated sputum and blood HPCs and EoPs in patients with NAEB (n=15), EA (n=15), and HC (n=14) at baseline. Patients with NAEB and EA were then treated for 1 month with budesonide (200 μg, bid) or budesonide and formoterol (200/6 μg, bid), respectively. HPCs and EoPs in both compartments were re-evaluated. At baseline, NAEB and EA both had significantly greater numbers of sputum but not blood HPCs and EoPs ( <0.05) compared to HC. There were no differences between NAEB and EA. After 1 month of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) treatment, NAEB patients showed a significant improvement in cough symptoms, but the attenuation of sputum HPC and EoP levels was not significant. NAEB patients have increased airway levels of HPCs and EoPs. One-month treatment with ICS did not fully suppress the level of EoPs in NAEB. Controlling airway differentiation of EoPs may control airway eosinophilia and provide long-term resolution of symptoms in NAEB.

• Publisher: Frontiers Media SA,Frontiers Media S.A
• Subject: Adrenal Cortex Hormones - therapeutic use / airway inflammation / Asthma / Asthma - drug therapy / Body mass index / Bronchitis / Bronchitis - diagnosis / Bronchitis - drug therapy / Budesonide / Budesonide - therapeutic use / Cough / Disease / eosinophil / eosinophil progenitors / Eosinophilia / Eosinophils / Flow cytometry / Formoterol / hematopoietic progenitor cells / Hematopoietic stem cells / Hemopoiesis / Humans / Immunology / Leukocytes (eosinophilic) / non-asthmatic eosinophilic bronchitis / Peripheral blood / Progenitor cells / Pulmonary Eosinophilia - drug therapy / Questionnaires / Respiratory tract / Spirometry / Sputum / Statistical analysis / Steroids