Data for: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha protein concentrations in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from healthy horses and horses with severe equine asthma
Description
The objective of this study was to determine if TNF-α protein concentration differs in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) obtained from healthy horses, horses with naturally occurring exacerbations of severe equine asthma and horses in remission from severe equine asthma. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF- α) protein concentrations were determined in BALF by commercial equine ELISA. Horses with naturally occurring exacerbation of severe equine asthma were found to have significantly lower BALF TNF-α protein concentrations than healthy horses (p=0.0026). There was no significant difference in BALF TNF-α protein concentration from horses in a remission state of the disease, but the median concentration fell between healthy horse and horses with clinical exacerbation of severe equine asthma. These findings suggest, that similar to human asthma, the role of TNF-α in chronic lower airway inflammation of horses may differ between disease phenotypes and disease state.