title: Altered expressions of helper T cell (Th)1, Th2, and Th17 cytokines in CD8(+) and γδ T cells in patients with allergic asthma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  T cells play an important role in orchestrating allergic asthma by producing various cytokines; however, little information is available on the phenotype of cytokine-producing T cells, especially CD8(+) T and γδ T cells in humans.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the role of cytokine expressions from circulating CD4(+), CD8(+), and γδ T cells in patients with allergic asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from patients with allergic asthma (n = 29) and healthy controls (n = 12). The percentage of helper T cell (Th)1-, Th2-, and Th17-type cytokines interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin (IL)-4, and IL-17, respectively, of CD4(+), CD8(+), and γδ T cells was analyzed by flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentages of IL-4(+) and IL-17(+) CD4(+) T cells increased, whereas IFN-γ(+) CD4(+) T cells decreased in patients with allergic asthma compared with healthy controls. The frequency of IL-17(+) CD4(+) T cells tended to increase with the severity of allergic asthma. Higher frequency of IL-4-producing and lower frequency of IFN-γ-producing CD8(+) and γδ T cells were found in patients with allergic asthma compared with healthy controls. The IFN-γ(+)/IL-17(+) ratio among CD4(+), CD8(+), and γδ T cells was significantly decreased in patients with allergic asthma compared with healthy controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CD8(+) and γδ T cells might be involved in the pathogenesis of allergic asthma through the release of Th1-, Th2-, and Th17-type cytokines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Jiong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ya-Dong
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta