[Changes of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells, IL-10 and TGF-beta1 levels in peripheral blood in children with asthma].
OBJECTIVE
This study determined the changes of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells, IL-10 and TGF-beta1 levels in peripheral blood in children with asthma in order to explore immunologic mechanism of asthma attacks.


METHODS
Seventy-four children with asthma attacks, twenty-eight children with stable asthma and twenty healthy children were enrolled. The percentage of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells in CD4+ T cells in peripheral blood was detected by flow cytometry. Serum levels of IL-10 and TGF-beta1 were measured using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).


RESULTS
The percentage of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells and IL-10 levels in peripheral blood in the asthma attacks group were significantly lower than those in the stable asthma and the control groups (p<0.01) .The stable asthma group showed a similar percentage of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells and IL-10 levels to the control group. Compared with the stable asthma and the control groups, serum TGF-beta1 level in the asthma attacks group increased significantly (p<0.05). In the asthma attacks, the stable asthma, and the control groups, the percentage of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells in peripheral blood was not correlated to serum levels of IL-10 and TGF-beta1.


CONCLUSIONS
The percentage of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells in peripheral blood and serum IL-10 levels decrease and serum TGF-beta1 levels increases in children with asthma attacks, which results in a decreased immunosuppressive effect. This might contribute to one of the immunologic mechanisms of asthma attacks.
Department of Pediatrics, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences and Sichuan Province People's Hospital, Chengdu 610072, China. lmscsy@yahoo.com.cn
Min
M
Li
Li
L
Song
Jian-Bo
JB
Zhang
Jun
J
Fang
Lan
L
Li
D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000097:blood*
D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D016753:Interleukin-10