Increase in Salivary Cysteinyl-Leukotriene Concentration in Patients with Aspirin-Intolerant Asthma

Abstract

Background: Cysteinyl-leukotrienes (CysLTs; LTC4, LTD4, and LTE4) play a considerable role in the pathophysiology of aspirin-intolerant asthma (AIA). Saliva has recently been validated as novel, simple, and noninvasive method for investigating inflammation in patients with asthma. The aim of this study is to clarify the molecular species of CysLT in saliva and to evaluate the CysLT and LTB4 concentrations in saliva in AIA patients. We also examined how the CysLT concentration in saliva reflects that of their corresponding urinary metabolite.
Methods: We preformed an analytical cross-sectional study. CysLT and LTB4 concentrations in saliva were quantified by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) following purification by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
Results:
1. When analyzed by EIA in combination with HPLC, saliva was found to consist of LTC4, LTD4 and LTE4 in similar amounts.
2. In saliva analysis among the three groups (AIA patients, aspirin-tolerant asthma [ATA] patients, and healthy subjects), both the concentrations of CysLTs and LTB4 were significantly higher in AIA patients than in ATA patients and healthy subjects.
3. We found significant correlations between CysLT concentration and LTB4 concentration in saliva in each group.
4. No significant correlation was found between the concentration of LTE4 in urine and that of CysLTs in saliva.
Conclusions: In this study, we found higher concentrations of CysLTs and LTB4 in saliva from AIA patients than in saliva from ATA patients, suggesting that the quantification of CysLT and LTB4 concentrations in saliva may be another diagnostic strategy for AIA.