Peripheral blood CD4+ and CD8+ T cell type 1 and type 2 cytokine production in atopic asthmatic and normal subjects.
BACKGROUND
Increased production of IL-4 and IL-5 and decreased production of IFN-gamma by CD4+ T cells has been implicated in asthma pathogenesis. However, CD8+ T cells also produce type 1 and type 2 cytokines and the relative roles of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell cytokine production in asthma have not been previously studied.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the production of the type 1 and type 2 cytokines by CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets in asthmatic and normal subjects.


METHODS
Intracellular cytokine staining for IL-4, -5, -10, -13 and IFN-gamma was analysed in peripheral blood CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from 24 atopic asthmatic and 20 normal subjects.


RESULTS
Both subsets of T cells produced all cytokines studied and there were no significant differences between CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in their capacity to produce either type 1 or type 2 cytokines. There were significantly increased frequencies of IFN-gamma-positive CD4+ (13.1 +/- 2.4%, vs. 7.3 +/- 1.4%) and CD8+ (20.0 +/- 2.9%, vs. 9.6 +/- 2.1%) T cells in asthmatic subjects compared with normal subjects (P < 0.05), but not in frequencies of CD4+ or CD8+ T cells staining positively for IL-4, -5, -10 or -13.


CONCLUSIONS
The frequencies of peripheral blood CD8+ T cells producing type 1 and type 2 cytokines are comparable with the frequencies of CD4+ T cells. There was an increased frequency of IFN-gamma producing CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in asthmatic compared with normal subjects. Further studies investigating T cells derived from the airways and investigating various stages within the disease process are required to further elucidate the importance of type 2 and type 1 T cell cytokine production in the pathogenesis of human allergic disease.
Cho
S-H
SH
University Medicine, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK.
Stanciu
L A
LA
Begishivili
T
T
Bates
P J
PJ
Holgate
S T
ST
Johnston
S L
SL
D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood*; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012016:Reference Values; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000378:metabolism
D016207:Cytokines; D007073:Immunoglobulin E