title: Cytokine production by peripheral blood CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in atopic childhood asthma.
abstract: There are conflicting studies on T cell cytokine production in childhood asthma. In this study intracellular cytokine expression of IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, IL-13, IFN-γ, and TNF-α in CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells in children with atopic asthma were measured by flow cytometry. Results. A significant increase in the percentage of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells producing IL-4 and IL-13 and decrease in the percentage of CD4(+) producing IFN-γ in asthmatic children was found. The percentage of CD4(+)/IL-13(+) was significantly higher in severe asthma than in children with intermittent disease symptoms. Severity of asthma was associated with increased both serum IgE and frequencies of CD4(+)/IL-13(+) T cells, as well as duration of disease. Moreover, a decrease in FEV(1), FEV(1)/FVC was observed in relation to the severity of asthma. Changes in cytokine profile in CD8(+) subpopulation didn't depend on the severity of the disease. Conclusions. Increased production of IL-4 and IL-13 in both CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells accompanied by decreased IFN-γ expression in CD4(+) T cells may be evidence that both lymphocyte subpopulations are implicated in the pathogenesis of asthma. Relationship of CD4(+)/IL-13(+) T cells with disease activity suggests that this lymphocyte subset may have a prominent role in childhood asthma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of Silesia, Ulica 3-go Maja 13-15, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland. machurae@poczta.fm
authors.forename: Edyta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Machura
authors.forename: Bogdan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mazur
authors.forename: Malgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rusek-Zychma
authors.forename: Malgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barć-Czarnecka
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007378:Interleukins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D042541:Intracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D007378:Interleukins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D007371:Interferon-gamma