Cytokine Production by Peripheral Blood CD4+ and CD8+ T Cells in Atopic Childhood Asthma. (8th December 2010) - Machura, Edyta
Abstract : There are conflicting studies on T cell cytokine production in childhood asthma. In this study intracellular cytokine expression of IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, IL-13, IFN-γ, and TNF-α in CD4 + and CD8 + T cells in children with atopic asthma were measured by flow cytometry. Results . A significant increase in the percentage of CD4 + and CD8 + T cells producing IL-4 and IL-13 and decrease in the percentage of CD4 + producing IFN-γ in asthmatic children was found. The percentage of CD4 + /IL-13 + was significantly higher in severe asthma than in children with intermittent disease symptoms. Severity of asthma was associated with increased both serum IgE and frequencies of CD4 + /IL-13 + T cells, as well as duration of disease. Moreover, a decrease in FEV1, FEV1 /FVC was observed in relation to the severity of asthma. Changes in cytokine profile in CD8 + subpopulation didn't depend on the severity of the disease. Conclusions . Increased production of IL-4 and IL-13 in both CD4 + and CD8 + T cells accompanied by decreased IFN-γ expression in CD4 + T cells may be evidence that both lymphocyte subpopulations are implicated in the pathogenesis of asthma. Relationship of CD4 + /IL-13 + T cells with disease activity suggests that this lymphocyte subset may have a prominent role in childhood asthma.