RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To study the expression profiles of PI3K, NF-κB, and STAT1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in children with bronchial asthma, as well as their roles in the pathogenesis of asthma. METHODS: Thirty children with acute exacerbation of bronchial asthma were enrolled as the asthma group, and 20 healthy children were enrolled as the control group. RT-PCR and Western blot were used to measure the mRNA and protein expression levels of PI3K, NF-κB, and STAT1 in PBMCs. A spirometer was used to compare the pulmonary function between the two groups. The correlations between the mRNA expression of PI3K, NF-κB, and STAT1 and pulmonary function in children with bronchial asthma were analyzed. RESULTS: The asthma group had significantly higher mRNA and protein expression levels of PI3K, NF-κB, and STAT1 than the control group (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the asthma group showed significant reductions in pulmonary function indices such as FEV1%, FEV1/FVC, and PEF% (P<0.05). In children with bronchial asthma, the mRNA expression levels of PI3K, NF-κB, and STAT1 were negatively correlated with FEV1%, FEV1/FVC, and PEF% (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The expression levels of PI3K, NF-κB, and STAT1 increase in children with asthma, and are negatively correlated with pulmonary function indices, suggesting that PI3K, NF-κB and STAT1 are involved in the development and progression of bronchial asthma in children.
