Inhaled Corticosteroids Increase Interleukin-10 but Reduce Macrophage Inflammatory Protein-1 a , Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-stimulating Factor, and Interferon- g Release from Alveolar Macrophages in Asthma

We determined the effect of inhaled corticosteroid, budesonide, on the release of the anti-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin-10 (IL-10), and of pro-inflammatory cytokines, macrophage inflammatory protein-1 a (MIP-1 a ), interferong (IFNg ), and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), from blood monocytes and alveolar macrophages of mild asthmatic subjects in a doubleblind, cross-over, placebo-controlled study. Budesonide reduced bronchial hyperresponsiveness and improved baseline FEV 1 . Alveolar macrophages were obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage performed at the end of each treatment phase. IL-10 from blood monocytes was not altered, but both IL-10 mRNA and protein expression from alveolar macrophages stimulated by lipopolysaccharide and IL-1 b