Figure 4

Effects of theophylline on IL-13 expression and protein secretion in macrophages. (A) IL-13 mRNA level was measured by RTQ-RT-PCR, and significantly decreased after treating with theophylline (down to less than 45% compared with control. *α = 0.05, p = 0.0079). (B) IL-13 protein secretion, by ELISA analysis, was also reduced in macrophages treated with theophylline. The trend was similar to that for the mRNA (down to less than 55% compared with control. *α = 0.05, p = 0.0075). (C) The IL-13 protein secretion in alveolar macrophages isolated from three patients (BAL-A, BAL-B, and BAL-C) with chronic bronchitis was also reduced when treated with 10 μg/ml theophylline (α = 0.05, p = 0.043; upper panel). The BAL-B specimens were treated with difference concentration of theophylline (0, 2.5, 5, 10, 20 μg/ml, respectively). IL-13 protein secretion was decreased in a dose-dependent manner with theophylline (lower panel). Arrow indicates the concentration of theophylline treatment corresponding to the clinical plasma levels (10 mg/L).