Effect of corticosteroid treatment on interleukin‐1 and tumour necrosis factor secretion by monocytes from subjects with asthma

Abstract

Peripheral blood monocytes (PBM) may be activated in asthmatic patients, a condition usually reverted by corticosteroid (CS) treatment. In the present research we have evaluated the spontaneous or lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced production of interleukin 1 (IL‐1) and tumour necrosis factor (TNF) by PBM obtained from 14 asthmatic subjects during an asthmatic attack and after 1 week of CS treatment. The control group included 20 healthy volunteers. PBM obtained during severe asthma showed a pattern of IL‐1 and TNF secretion similar to that of normal subjects. After CS treatment, IL‐1 levels did not change significantly in comparison to baseline values, while LPS‐induced TNF production was apparently related to the degree of airway obstruction after CS treatment. In fact, TNF production by PBM from CS‐responsive subjects was significantly decreased in comparison to the levels determined before CS treatment, while PBM from CS‐resistant subjects produced the same cytokine levels regardless of CS treatment. The present study suggests that the determination of LPS‐induced TNF secretion by PBM could be used to confirm the effectiveness of CS treatment in asthma.