The cytokine interleukin-26 as a biomarker in pediatric asthma

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• Jon R. Konradsen,
• Björn Nordlund,
• Bettina Levänen,
• Gunilla Hedlin and
• Anders LindenEmail author

Respiratory Research201617:32

DOI: 10.1186/s12931-016-0351-6

Abstract

In this pilot study, we examined associations between local interleukin (IL)-26, disease severity and biomarkers of Th2-mediated inflammation in a well-defined cohort of pediatric patients (14 years median age, 41 % females) with controlled (n = 28) or uncontrolled (n = 48) asthma.

Sputum IL-26 protein concentrations (ELISA) reflected disease control in patients without local (low exhaled nitric oxide) or systemic (low blood eosinophils) signs of eosinophilic inflammation. Moreover, sputum-IL-26 concentrations correlated with those of blood neutrophils. Our study indicates that IL-26 is a potential biomarker of disease severity in pediatric asthma without signs of Th2-mediated inflammation.

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