title: Systemic Th1- and Th2-gene signals in atopy and asthma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atopic disorders have been associated with a Th-2 cytokine predominance. This study investigated Th1- and Th2-related gene expression in asthmatics, atopics and healthy individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared Th1- and Th2-related in vivo-signals using gene expression arrays in 18 atopic asthmatics, 8 atopic non-asthmatic and 14 healthy control subjects. Purified mRNA from peripheral blood mononuclear cells was reverse-transcribed and hybridised to cDNA membranes. Group differences were assessed after standardisation with Mann-Whitney U-test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Atopic individuals had upregulated lymphotoxin-alpha and downregulated IFNGR1. On the other hand, they had particularly high IL-4, IL-5 and IL4R levels, together with significantly upregulated IL10. Asthmatic individuals had normal Th1-gene expression, but an upregulation og Th-2 genes. Atopic individuals had high, asthmatic individuals excessively high IL12RB1-levels. No Th-2 gene was downregulated in both atopic phenotypes. The expression of IL6R correlated with the daily dose of inhaled corticosteroids.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Atopic individuals had a down regulation of key TH1- and Th2-genes, resulting in a balanced upregulation of Th-specific genes. In contrast, asthmatic subjects had normal Th1-gene expression but a constant upregulation of Th2-specific genes, leading to Th2-predominance.
authors.affiliation: Division of Respiratory Medicine and Pulmonary Cell Research, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Ladina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Joos
authors.forename: Ingrid E A
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Carlen Brutsche
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Laule-Kilian
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Crawen
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tamm
authors.forename: Martin H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Brutsche
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D007378:Interleukins / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D018121:Receptors, Cytokine / Q000235:genetics*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D007378:Interleukins; D018121:Receptors, Cytokine; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta