Asthma severity is associated with an increase in both blood CXCR3+ and CCR4+ T cells.
OBJECTIVE
A predominance of type 2 helper T cells (Th2) in the bronchoalveolar space and peripheral blood is a well-accepted feature of bronchial asthma. However, the relationship between peripheral blood Th2 cells and asthma severity has not been thoroughly investigated.


METHODS
As Th1 cells predominantly express the chemokine receptor CXCR3 and Th2 cells express CCR4, we assessed the distribution of peripheral blood CXCR3+ and CCR4+ lymphocytes using flow cytometry in 186 patients with asthma and 75 normal subjects.


RESULTS
The proportion of CXCR3+/CD45RO+ cells in CD4+ T cells increased as the severity of asthma increased. The percentage of CCR4+/CD45RO+ cells in CD4+ T cells were elevated in mild to severe asthma patients compared with controls. However, there was no significant difference in CCR4+/CD45RO+ cells between the mild to severe asthma patients. There was no relationship between the patient's age and the numbers of CXCR3+ or CCR4+ T cells. The percentage of CCR4+ cells in CD45RO+/CD4+ T cells correlated with the levels of total serum IgE (r = 0.630, P < 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
The proportion of CCR4+ cells in blood memory helper T cells may be increased in patients with asthma and is associated with the level of serum IgE, but severity of asthma is also associated with the increase of blood CXCR3+ cells in memory helper T cells.
Respiratory Medicine, Cellular Transplantation Biology, Kanazawa Graduate University, School of Medicine, Kanazawa, Japan. a1091749@pref.saitama.jp
Kazuyoshi
K
Kurashima
Masaki
M
Fujimura
Shigeharu
S
Myou
Yoshihisa
Y
Ishiura
Nobuyuki
N
Onai
Kouji
K
Matsushima
D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054398:Receptors, CCR4; D054367:Receptors, CXCR3; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine / Q000097:blood*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
D015415:Biomarkers; C515354:CCR4 protein, human; C515187:CXCR3 protein, human; D054398:Receptors, CCR4; D054367:Receptors, CXCR3; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine