The relationship between atonic status and IL-10 nasal lavage levels in the acute and persistent inflammatory response to upper respiratory tract infection

We examined the influence of atopy on virus-induced airway inflammation by comparing the nasal response to naturally acquired upper respiratory tract infection in atopic and nonatopic subjects by measurement of cytokine, chem okine, and mediator levels in nasal lavage from 44 adults (23 atopic) taken during the acute and the convalescent phases of the common cold. Nasal asp irates were examined for the presence of upper respiratory viruses by RT-PC R. In atopic and nonatopic subjects there were increased levels of IL-1 bet a, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha, RANTES, sICAM-1, MPO, ECP, IL-10, and IFN-gamma i n nasal lavage during the acute compared with the convalescent phase (p < 0 .001). During the acute phase histamine levels were significantly higher in the atopic than in the nonatopic subjects (p < 0.05), whereas IL-10 levels were significantly greater in the nonatopic than in the atopic subjects (p < 0.05). At convalescence levels of IL-1 beta, IL-6, sICAM-1, ECP, RANTES and albumin were significantly higher in the atopic group (p < 0.05). An up per respiratory tract virus was found in 27 volunteers (61%) during the acu te stage and in two volunteers (4%) at convalescence. We conclude that viru s-induced inflammatory changes within the nose are more prolonged in atopic than in nonatopic subjects and that this is associated with reduced IL-10 levels in atopic compared with nonatopic subjects during the acute phase of upper respiratory tract infection.