Author/Authors :
Azimi، Ghasem نويسنده Department of Pulmonology ,Faculty of Medicine, Shahed University, Shaheed Mustafa Khomeini Hospital, Tehran , , Amini، Hesam نويسنده , , Andalibi، Niosha نويسنده Dept. of Internal Medicine, Shahed University, Tehran ,
Abstract :
Background and Objectives: Apoptosis of eosinophils is of significant value in assessing the
airway inflammation in patients with asthma. Our purpose was to investigate the degree of
expression of the Bcl-2 protein in sputum eosinophils during acute asthma exacerbation and its
relationship with exacerbation severity.
Materials and Methods: The study was carried out in Mostafa Khomeini Hospital, Tehran,
Iran in March 2008. Sputum was obtained from 15 asthmatic patients and 13 healthy subjects as
a control group. Number of eosinophils was counted and Bcl-2+ eosinophils were stained using
immunocytochemistry.
Results: Sputum eosinophils and Bcl-2+ eosinophils were significantly higher in patients with
acute exacerbation than controls (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: Bcl-2 prolongs survival and decreases apoptosis of airway eosinophils during acute
asthma exacerbation. Eosinophil apoptosis and inhibition of Bcl-2 represent a target for new and
effective therapeutic strategies of asthma.
