title: Soluble CTLA-4 in sera of patients with bronchial asthma.
abstract: Cytotoxic lymphocyte associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) is a homologue of CD28, which plays a critical role in the down-regulation of antigen-activated immune response. The aim of the present study was to investigate the concentrations of soluble CTLA-4 in sera of patients with bronchial asthma and the correlation between soluble CTLA-4 concentrations and some clinical measures of asthma. The concentrations of serum soluble CTLA-4 in 31 atopic asthmatics, 20 non-atopic asthmatics, and 28 non-atopic normal control volunteers were determined by ELISA technique, and the relationship between serum soluble CTLA-4 concentrations in asthmatics and airway responsiveness, pulmonary function, blood white cell counts and differentials, respectively, were analyzed. Serum soluble CTLA-4 concentrations in both atopic asthmatics (20.2 +/- 5.4 microg/L) and non-atopic asthmatics (19.2 +/- 6.2 microg/L) were all higher than that in normal controls (1.8 +/- 0.8 microg/L, p = 0.04 and 0.014, respectively). There was no difference in serum soluble CTLA-4 concentrations between atopic and non-atopic asthmatics (p = 0.877). The serum soluble CTLA-4 concentrations in the asthmatics statistically correlated with forced expiratory volume in one second (r = -0.410, p = 0.027), percentage of predicted peak expiratory flow (r = -0.449, p = 0.015), and PaCO2 (r = 0.555, p = 0.002), respectively. Our data also showed that the concentration of soluble CTLA-4 was significantly related to blood lymphocyte numbers. The serum soluble CTLA-4 protein level was significantly elevated in patients with asthma. This level correlated with the severity of asthma. Our data also showed that the concentration of soluble CTLA-4 was significantly related to blood lymphocyte numbers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Guangxi, PR China. hzshi@163.net
authors.forename: Huan-Zhong
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Xiao-Yun
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Mo
authors.forename: Xiao-Ning
authors.initials: XN
authors.lastname: Zhong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000097:blood*; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000097:blood*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; C556706:CTLA4 protein, human; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents