Upper Airway Alarmin Cytokine Expression in Asthma of Different Severities

Background: The secretion of alarmin cytokines by epithelial cells, including thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), interleukin (IL)-25, and IL-33, initiates inflammatory cascades in asthma. However, alarmin cytokine expression in the upper airways in asthma remains largely unknown. Methods: We recruited 40 participants with asthma into four groups as per the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) steps (10 in each group of GINA 1/2, 3, 4, and 5). Cells were derived from nasal, buccal, and throat brushings. Intracellular cytokine expression (TSLP, IL-25, and IL-33) was assessed by flow cytometry in cytokeratin 8(+) (Ck8(+)) epithelial cells immediately following collection. Results: TSLP was significantly increased (p < 0.001) in GINA 5 patients across nasal, buccal, and throat Ck8(+) epithelial cells, while IL-25 was elevated in nasal and throat samples (p < 0.003), and IL-33 levels were variable, compared with GINA 1-4 patients. Individual GINA subgroup comparison showed that TSLP levels in nasal samples from GINA 5 patients were significantly (p = 0.03) elevated but did not differ between patients with and without nasal comorbidities. IL-25 and IL-33 (obtained from nasal, buccal, and throat samples) were not significantly different in individual groups. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates for the first time that Ck8(+) nasal epithelial cells from GINA 5 asthma patients express elevated levels of TSLP.