In comparison with that in the healthy control (HC), significantly lower abundance of Bifidobacterium and lower levels of Th1 cytokines (IFN-γ and TNF-α), but higher levels of Th2-type cytokines (IL-4, IL-5) and Th17-type (IL-17A) cytokine were detected in children with bronchiolitis and asthma.
Previously, we reported genetic associations between severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis in infants and polymorphisms in the interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-4 receptor alpha (IL-4Ralpha) genes, providing evidence for involvement of T helper type 2 cytokines in the pathogenesis of RSV bronchiolitis.
The association of variants of genes encoding interleukin (IL)-4 and the IL-4 receptor alpha chain (IL-4Ralpha) with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis was examined in hospitalized infants.