Saturday, 17 October 2015
Hall D1 Foyer (Floor 3) (Coex Convention Center)
Elisa Villa, MD
,
Department of Translational Medicine, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
Rosalba Minisini, PhD
,
Department of Translational Medicine, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
Olaf Rötzschke, PhD
,
Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
Anand Andiappan, PhD
,
Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
Elena Boggio, PhD
,
Department of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont "Amedeo Avogadro", Novara, Italy
Luca Gigliotti, PhD
,
Department of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont "Amedeo Avogadro", Novara, Italy
Nausicaa Clemente, PhD
,
Department of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont "Amedeo Avogadro", Novara, Italy
Annalisa Chiocchetti, MD
,
Department of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont "Amedeo Avogadro", Novara, Italy
Umberto Dianzani, Prof, MD
,
Department of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont "Amedeo Avogadro", Novara, Italy
Mario Pirisi, Prof, MD
,
Department of Translational Medicine, University of Eastern Piedmont "Amedeo Avogadro", Novara, Italy
A) Background: Osteopontin (OPN) is a pleomorphic cytokine known to influence a range of immune cells, including macrophages, neutrophils, dendritic cells, T and B cells. High OPN levels are associated with a significantly increased risk of autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome, multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus erythematosus, suggesting that OPN is a candidate biomarker of these conditions. In the present cross-sectional study, we aimed to verify if serum levels of OPN may qualify as a biomarker of an activated immune response in allergic patients.
B) Method: Serum OPN levels were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (Human Osteopontin Duoset, R&D Systems). A series of 77 adult patients (median age females: 49 years; males: 47 years) with different allergic diseases, was studied: 34 patients (44%) had allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, 15 (19%) asthma, 17 (22%) hymenoptera venom allergy, 5 (6%) allergic contact dermatitis, 3 (4%) food allergy and 3 (4%) IgE-mediated hypersensitivity to beta-lactams. 116 healthy subjects with similar demographic characteristics served as controls. Data were analyzed comparing cases to controls, as well as looking for subgroup differences within the group of allergic patients.
C) Results: OPN serum levels were significantly higher in cases in comparison to controls (median 12181 pg/ml, interquartile range 6953 – 19359 pg/ml vs 6099 pg/ml, interquartile range 3122 – 14520 pg/ml; p = 0.0010 by the Mann-Whitney test). The highest serum OPN levels were observed among patients with asthma (median: 15668 pg/ml; p = 0.0156) followed by those observed in the hymenoptera venom allergy group (median: 14239 pg/ml; p = 0.0080). Lower values of OPN were detected in the group of patients with rhinoconjunctivitis (median: 10291 pg/ml; p = 0.0436), allergic contact dermatitis (median: 9088 pg/ml) and food allergy (median: 4386 pg/ml). Patients with IgE-mediated sensitization to beta-lactams had heterogeneous values, not statistically different in comparison to controls.
D) Conclusions: Serum OPN levels may represent a novel, potentially useful biomarker of allergic respiratory diseases and hymenoptera venom allergy. Consideration should be given to explore clinical correlates of high OPN levels in these conditions.
