Amisha V. Barochia1 , Elizabeth M. Gordon1 , Maryann Kaler1 , Rosemarie A. Cuento1 , Patricia Theard1 , Debbie M. Figueroa1 , Xianglan Yao1 , Nargues A. Weir1 , Maureen L. Sampson2 , Mario Stylianou3 , David F. Choy4 , Cecile T.J. Holweg4 , Alan T. Remaley5 , and Stewart J. Levine1
Abstract
Blood eosinophil counts and serum periostin levels are biomarkers of type 2 inflammation. Although serum levels of HDL (high-density lipoprotein) and apolipoprotein A-I have been associated with less severe airflow obstruction in asthma, it is not known whether serum lipids or lipoprotein particles are correlated with type 2 inflammation in asthmatics. Here, we assessed whether serum lipids and lipoproteins correlated with blood eosinophil counts or serum periostin levels in 165 atopic asthmatics, and 163 non-asthmatic subjects with and without atopy. Serum lipids and lipoproteins were quantified using standard laboratory assays and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Absolute blood eosinophils were quantified by complete blood counts. Periostin levels were measured using the Elecsys Periostin assay. In atopic asthmatics, blood eosinophils negatively correlated with serum HDL-cholesterol and total HDL particles measured by NMR spectroscopy (HDLNMR). Serum periostin levels negatively correlated with total HDLNMR. In contrast, blood eosinophil counts positively correlated with serum triglyceride levels. This study demonstrates for the first time that HDL particles were negatively correlated, whereas serum triglycerides were positively correlated, with blood eosinophils in atopic asthmatics. This supports the concept that serum levels of HDL and triglycerides may be linked to systemic type 2 inflammation in atopic asthma.
Full Text (PDF) Free