[CD4+CD25+ T lymphocytes in peripheral blood from patients with asthma].
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.
Qin
Shou-ming
SM
Institute of Respiratory Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China.
Shi
Huan-zhong
HZ
Qin
Xue-jun
XJ
Chen
Yi-qiang
YQ
Zhong
Xiao-ning
XN
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*
D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit