title: [CD4+CD25+ T lymphocytes in peripheral blood from patients with asthma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore whether regulatory CD(4)(+)CD(25)(+) cells exist in patients with atopic asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  The numbers of peripheral blood CD(4)(+)CD(25)(+) cells in peripheral blood of atopic asthmatics and healthy nonatopic subjects were determined using flow cytometry. CD(4)(+)CD(25)(+) and CD(4)(+)CD(25)(-) cells from atopic asthmatics and normal donors were isolated, and were cultured to observe the effects of CD(4)(+)CD(25)(+) cells on proliferation response as well as Th1/Th2 cytokine production of CD(4)(+)CD(25)(-) cells in vitro.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant increase in CD(4)(+)CD(25)(+) cell numbers was shown in atopic asthmatic patients during acute exacerbation [(14.9 +/- 1.8)%, P < 0.01], but not in patients with stable asthma [(11.8 +/- 0.7)%] and normal subjects [(11.2 +/- 0.8)%, P > 0.05]. The mean inhibition values of the proliferation response of CD(4)(+)CD(25)(-) cells by CD(4)(+)CD(25)(+) cells from normal controls [(72 +/- 8)%] and asthmatics [(74 +/- 9)%] were similar (P > 0.05). There was no difference in inhibitory effects on both Th1 and Th2 cytokine production of CD(4)(+)CD(25)(-) cells by CD(4)(+)CD(25)(+) cells in the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although CD(4)(+)CD(25)(+) cells increase in atopic asthma during exacerbation, these regulatory T cells appear to function normally with regard to their suppressive activities.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Respiratory Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China.
authors.forename: Shou-ming
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Huan-zhong
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Xue-jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Yi-qiang
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xiao-ning
authors.initials: XN
authors.lastname: Zhong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit