Elevated production of galectin-3 is correlated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis disease activity, severity, and progression.

Objectives: Galectin-3 is a carbohydrate-binding protein that plays many important regulatory roles in inflammation, immunity and cancers. Recent studies indicate that galectin-3 plays a role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis and progression. Therefore, we sought to characterize the expression pattern and role of galectin-3 in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and to explore whether galectin-3 investigated in serum and synovial fluid was associated with clinical, laboratory and radiological variables of JIA disease activity and severity.

Serum OX40 ligand levels in asthmatic children: a potential biomarker of severity and persistence.

The costimulatory molecule OX40 and its ligand, OX40L, mediate key aspects of allergic airway inflammation in animal models of asthma, including eosinophilic airway inflammation, airway hyperresponsiveness, and T-helper type 2 (Th2) polarization. However, involvement of these molecules in Th2-dominated allergen-induced childhood asthma remains unclear. Therefore, we sought to examine OX40L expression in pediatric asthma across disease activity and attack severity.

Serum mucosa-associated epithelial chemokine (MEC/CCL28) in atopic dermatitis: a specific marker for severity.

Background: Mucosa-associated epithelial chemokine (MEC; CCL28) is considered to be pivotal in mediating the migration of CC chemokine receptor 3- and 10- (CCR3- and CCR10)-expressing, skin-homing, memory, cutaneous lymphocyte-associated antigen-positive (CLA(+)) T cells. CCL28 is selectively and continuously expressed by epidermal keratinocytes, but highly upregulated in inflammatory skin diseases, such as atopic dermatitis (AD).

Aim: This controlled longitudinal study was designed to evaluate the expression of CCL28 in serum in childhood AD and bronchial asthma (BA), and its possible relationship to disease severity and activity.