RESUMO
An immunohistochemical study on bronchial biopsies taken from ten patients with severe asthma, ten patients with mild asthma and ten healthy normal control subjects was done using monoclonal antibodies identifying the vessel marker [EN-4], intercellular adhesion molecule [ICAM-1], vascular cell adhesion molecule [VCAM-I], E- and P-selectin. Bronchial biopsies from patients with severe asthma showed an increased number of subepithelial vessels, an increased size of vessels and an increased percentage of area covered with vessels as compared with mild asthma and control subjects which was correlated with airflow limitation [decreased FEV1% pred]. An increased number of vessels expressing ICAM-1 and a decreased number of vessels expressing E-selectin which was highly correlated to airflow limitation [decreased FEV1% pred, decreased PEFR% pred and FEV75% pred] were observed. No difference was found between the three groups in the expression of VCAM-1 and P-selectin