Correlation between neutral endopetidase (NEP) 3.4.24.11 in serum and the degree of the bronchial hyperreactivity.

Neutral endopeptidase (NEP) is described in airways as the major degrading enzyme of tachykinins such as neurokinin A (NKA) and substance P (SP). Due to its localization and mode of action NEP may play a role in the pathophysiology of bronchial reactivity (BR) especially under the aspect of neurogenic inflammation. Serum NEP concentrations were measured by ELISA to investigate if there is a correlation between serum NEP and the degree of bronchial reactivity expressed by PC20-FEV1 histamine(.

A subset of CD8+ T cells from allergic patients produce IL-4 and stimulate IgE production in vitro.

Background And Objective: A subset of IL-4 producing CD8+ T cells was recently identified in HIV patients. Based on these findings we examined whether IL-4 producing CD8+ T cells would also be present in allergic patients and what would be the functional relevance of this T-cell population.

Methods: We investigated the role of CD8+ T cells in IgE production of allergic diseases by analysing the cytokine profile of individual CD4+ and CD8+ T cells.