CXCL8 and asthma: Furthermore, the use of MAP kinase inhibitors reduces or inhibits release of IL-8, and eotaxin, two cytokines implicated in asthma pathophysiology [25,26] ERK 1/2 and p38 have been shown to be involved in eotaxin-induced IL-8 and GM-CSF production by bronchial epithelial cells [27].