Serum IFN gamma-induced protein 10 (IP10/CXCL10): association with asthma exacerbations and severity in children

Objective Asthma is a chronic disorder of the airways, in which chemokines coordinate airway inflammation and determine its severity. We aimed to study the chemokine interferon gamma-inducible protein 10 kDa (IP10/CXCL10), a member of the CXC receptor 3 (CXCR3) ligand family, at the protein level in the serum of children, to evaluate the association between CXCL10 and exacerbations of childhood asthma. Methods Patients experiencing an asthma exacerbation (42 patients) and stable patients (43 patients) were investigated for serum CXCL10 levels. Results Patients with an asthma exacerbation expressed significantly higher CXCL10 levels in the serum than stable patients (p < 0.001). Additionally, CXCL10 values were elevated in severe asthma compared with moderate and mild disease (p < 0.001). In patients experiencing asthma exacerbations, higher values of CXCL10 were observed in atopic patients compared with non-atopic patients (p = 0.027) and in uncontrolled and partly controlled patients compared with controlled patients (p = 0.046). Conclusions CXCL10 is proposed as an inflammatory serum marker for asthma exacerbations and worsening asthma symptoms. The levels of CXCL10 are representative of the clinical severity of asthma.