title: CD4 T-lymphocyte activation in acute severe asthma. Relationship to disease severity and atopic status.
abstract: Lymphocytes are prominent among the inflammatory cells infiltrating the asthmatic airways, and several studies have suggested that cell-mediated immunity may play a role in the pathogenesis of chronic asthma. We have measured (1) the expression of activation markers on the CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocyte phenotypic subsets in the peripheral blood of patients hospitalized with acute severe asthma ("status asthmaticus"), and (2) the serum concentrations of two proteins elaborated by activated T-lymphocytes (interferon-gamma and the soluble interleukin-2 receptor). The results were compared with those in control subjects (mild asthma, chronic obstructive airway disease, and normal). CD4+ lymphocytes from patients with acute severe asthma showed significant increases in the expression of three surface proteins associated with lymphocyte activation (interleukin-2 receptor [IL-2R], class II histocompatibility antigen [HLA-DR], and "very late activation" antigen [VLA-1]) as compared with those from normal control subjects. In contrast, CD8 cells were devoid of IL-2R and VLA-1, in both patients with acute severe asthma and control subjects, and the expression of HLA-DR on these cells was not increased above that of control subjects. The serum concentrations of interferon-gamma and soluble IL-2R were significantly elevated in patients with acute severe asthma as compared with all the control groups. Concentrations decreased as the patients improved clinically during the first 3-day period of hospital treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, National Heart and Lung Institute, Brompton Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Corrigan
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Kay
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D016029:Receptors, Very Late Antigen / Q000097:blood; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D016029:Receptors, Very Late Antigen; D007371:Interferon-gamma