title: Increased circulating CCR3+ type 2 helper T cells in house dust mite-sensitive Chinese patients with allergic diseases.
abstract: Chemokine receptor expression has been shown to be associated with the differentiation of T helper cells. The CCR3, CXCR4 and CCR5 expression on circulating T cells were studied in 30 house dust mite sensitive-patients with allergic diseases and in another 30 healthy controls. The expression was analyzed in CD4, CD8 and double negative (DN) T cells by triple fluorescence staining. In addition, intracellular cytokine staining was performed in the CCR3+ CD4+ T cells. Increased circulating portions of CCR3+ CD4+ T cells and CCR3+ DN T cells were found in these patients (p < 0.01). There was no statistically significant difference in the expression of CXCR4 and CCR5 on T cells. The follow-up data of the patients did not show a statistically significant change in the CCR3 expression. IL-4 was expressed within CCR3+ CD4+ T cells upon activation. The IL-4 secreting CCR3+ type 2 T helper cells may play a pathogenetic role in immune responses of house dust mite-sensitive Chinese patients with allergic diseases.
authors.affiliation: Section of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chrong-Reen
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Pei-Chih
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ming-Fei
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D004391:Dust / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008925:Mites / Q000276:immunology*; D054397:Receptors, CCR3; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine / Q000378:metabolism*; D013624:Taiwan; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: C515350:CCR3 protein, human; D004391:Dust; D054397:Receptors, CCR3; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine; D015847:Interleukin-4