title: Double phenotyping of immunoregulatory T cell subsets in patients with allergic asthma.
abstract: In order to determine whether the dissection of helper/inducer (CD4+) and suppressor/cytotoxic (CD8+) lymphocyte subsets with Leu 8 reagent would reveal any differences between allergic asthma patients and non-atopic controls, we compared in both groups the 'true helper' T cell subset (Leu 8- CD4+), responsible for the major helper effect, and one of the suppressor T cell subpopulations (Leu 8- CD8+). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from sixty-nine individuals, including nineteen extrinsic asthmatics, fifteen intrinsic asthmatics, seventeen patients with chronic obstructive lung disease and eighteen healthy controls, were comparatively analysed. Although total CD4+ cells and total CD8+ cells were similar for all groups, we found in the extrinsic asthma patients group a significant increase in the number of 'true helper' T cell sublineage (Leu 8- CD4+) and of suppressor cells expressing Leu 8- CD8+ phenotype. Such imbalances may be implicated in the pathogenesis of atopic asthma.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000145:classification; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000145:classification; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000145:classification
chemical_list: D007073:Immunoglobulin E