Peripheral blood Th1 and Th2 profile in patients with moderate asthma: effect of inhaled corticosteroid.
The peripheral blood from healthy subjects and asthma patients was stimulated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and ionomycin, and the cells were stained with anti-CD4 antibody, permeabilized, stained with anti-IFN-gamma and anti-IL-4 antibodies, and analyzed by flow cytometry. Compared with healthy subjects, asthma patients showed a greater percentage of both IL-4(+) IFN-gamma(-) CD4 cells (Th2 cells) and IFN-gamma(+) IL-4(-) CD4 cells (Th1 cells). The percentage of Th2 cells was correlated with serum IgE level. After treatment with inhaled corticosteroid, Th2 cells decreased at week 24, but not week 4. Long-term therapy with inhaled steroid may thus be required for improvement in lymphocytic inflammation.
Nagano
Yuko
Y
First Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Japan.
Kondo
Mitsuko
M
Tamaoki
Jun
J
Isono
Kazuo
K
Nagai
Atsushi
A
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D001507:Beclomethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000187:drug effects*
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D001507:Beclomethasone