Background: Recent data suggest that adipose tissue is a multi-functional organ rather than simply a passive storage site for excess energy. It has been clearly demonstrated that human adipose tissue produces a variety of secretory factors that exert multiple effects at both the local and the systemic level. Adiponectin is an adipose tissue-specific collagen-like molecule that has antihyperglycemic, anti-atherogenic and anti-inflammatory properties. Objective: This study was designed to determine whether serum concentrations of adiponectin changes following bronchoprovocation in asthma and whether this change correlates with the changes in the ventilatory functions. Subjects and methods: Thirty five cases were included in this study. Twenty five patients with bronchial asthma and 10 age related healthy subjects as a control. All asthmatic patients were divided into nonobese and obese according to their body mass index (BMO.Methacholine bronchoprovocation test was done to all asthmatic patients. Multiple venous blood samples were obtained just before the start of the challenge (Stage 0), just after the completion of the challenge (stage I), and four hours after the challenge (stage II).Serum adiponectin concentrations were measured using ELISA Technique. Ventilatory functions were done and repeated with each venous
INTRODUCTION
Recent data suggest that adipose tissue is a multi-functional organ rather than simply a passive storage site for excess energy. It has been clearly demonstrated that human adipose tissue produces a variety of secretory factors that exert multiple effects at both the local and the systemic level. To date, more than 100 products, covering a broad range of protein families as well as many fatty acids and prostaglandins, have been reported to be secreted by adipose tissue. Secreted factors of particular interest include many cytokines or chemokines, such as TNF-a, IL-6, IL-8, as well as plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, angiotensin-II, leptin, and adiponectin (Hauner, 2005).
Adiponectin is an adipose tissue-specific collagen-like molecule described in 1996 (Arita et
Departments of Chest and Biochemistry*, Benha Faculty of Medicine, Egypt
blood sample for serum adiponectin level estimation. Results: The mean value of serum adiponectin was found to be significantly decreased in asthmatic patients before (stage 0), immediately after (stage I) and four hours after methacholine bronchoprovocation (stage II) in comparison with control group. It was also significantly decreased immediately after bronchoprovocation (stage I) in comparison with its level before bronchoprovocation (stage 0). It was highly significantly decreased in obese asthmatic cases in all groups in comparison with the nonobese asthmatics. It was significantly lower in asthmatic cases (nonobese and obese) before (stage 0), immediately after (stage I) and four hours after bronchoprovocation (stage II) in comparison with control group. Also, adiponectin level was significantly lowered in asthmatic cases (nonobese and obese) immediately after bronchoprovocation (stage I) in comparison with its preprovocative value (stage 0).Changes in the mean values of serum adiponectin significantly correlated with changes in FEVI % pred., FVC% pred.,FEVI/FVC and FEF25-75% pred. Conclusion: From this study we can conclude that serum adiponectin was significantly decreased in asthmatic patients (nonobese and obese) and this decrease is correlated with the ventilatory functions. Also, adiponectin may affect asthma status and modulating adiponectin might have an additional approach towards managing asthma |
