Frontiers in Immunology (Mar 2022)

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

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

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2022.737968
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13

Abstract

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ObjectiveThis study aims to explore the potential of in situ 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).MethodsUsing 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.ResultsAt baseline, NAEB and EA both had significantly greater numbers of sputum but not blood HPCs and EoPs (p<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.ConclusionsNAEB 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 in situ airway differentiation of EoPs may control airway eosinophilia and provide long-term resolution of symptoms in NAEB.

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