Flagellin concentrations in expectorations from cystic fibrosis patients.

Viviane Balloy (1) , Guiti Thévenot (2) , Thierry Bienvenu (3, 4) , Philippe Morand (2, 5) , Harriet Corvol (6, 7) , Annick Clement (6, 7) , Reuben Ramphal (8, 9) , Dominique Hubert (2, 10) , Michel Chignard (1)

1 Défense innée et inflammation
2 EA 2511 - Mucoviscidose et bronchopathies chroniques : biopathologie et phénotypes cliniques
3 Service de biochimie et de génétique moléculaire [CHU Cochin]
4 UPD5 - Université Paris Descartes - Paris 5
5 Service de Bactériologie [CHU Cochin, AP-HP]
6 CHU Trousseau [APHP]
7 UPMC - Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6
8 UT - Université de Tours
9 INSERM
10 Service de Pneumologie - CRCM adultes

BACKGROUND: The aim was to measure flagellin concentrations in the expectorations of CF patients and to examine whether there are correlations with the level of respiratory insufficiency and inflammation. METHODS: Sputum samples from 31 adult patients chronically colonized with P. aeruginosa were collected and analysed for their content of flagellin and IL-8. Clinical data were extracted from patient files. RESULTS: Regardless of whether patients are colonized with mucoid strains or not, they carry clones of P. aeruginosa that express flagellin. While flagellin was present in airways of all of our CF patients, it is difficult to ascertain its contribution to inflammation (IL-8) and lung function deterioration. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first demonstration that flagellin is present in the sputum of patients. Thus, attempts to down regulate inflammation by the use of TLR5 (flagellin receptor) antagonists remain a possibility. However, this result needs to be extended to a larger number of patients to validate it for future research on this subject.

Keywords: Sputum; Chronic inflammation; Infection; Respiratory function

Domains: Life Sciences [q-bio]; Human health and pathology; Pulmonology and respiratory tract

Viviane Balloy, Guiti Thévenot, Thierry Bienvenu, Philippe Morand, Harriet Corvol, et al.. Flagellin concentrations in expectorations from cystic fibrosis patients.. BMC Pulmonary Medicine, 2014, 14 (1), pp.100. ⟨10.1186/1471-2466-14-100⟩. ⟨pasteur-01009443⟩