title: Coexistence of Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg imbalances in patients with allergic asthma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent recognition is that Th2 response is insufficient to fully explain the aetiology of asthma. Other CD4(+) T cells subsets might play a role in asthma. We investigated the relative abundance and activities of Th1, Th2, Th17 and CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cells in patients with allergic asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-two patients with mild asthma, 17 patients with moderate to severe asthma and 20 healthy donors were enrolled. All patients were allergic to house dust mites. Plasma total IgE, pulmonary function and Asthma Control Questionnaire were assessed. The proportions of peripheral blood Th1, Th2, Th17 and CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cells were determined by flow cytometry. The expression of cytokines in plasma and in the culture supernatant of peripheral blood mononuclear cells was determined by enzyme linked, immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequency of blood Th2 cells and IL-4 levels in plasma and culture supernatant of peripheral blood mononuclear cells were increased in all patients with allergic asthma. The frequency of Th17 cells and the plasma and culture supernatant levels of IL-17 were increased, whereas the frequency of CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cells and plasma IL-10 levels were decreased in patients with moderate to severe asthma. Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus specific IgE levels were positively correlated with the percentage of blood Th2 cells and plasma IL-4 levels. Forced expiratory volume in the first second was negatively correlated with the frequency of Th17 cells and plasma IL-17 levels, and positively correlated with the frequency of Treg cells. However, mean Asthma Control Questionnaire scores were positively correlated with the frequency of Th17 cells and plasma IL-17 levels, and negatively correlated with the frequency of Treg cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Imbalances in Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg were found in patients with allergic asthma. Furthermore, elevated Th17 cell responses, the absence of Tregs and an imbalance in Th17/Treg levels were associated with moderate to severe asthma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China.
authors.forename: Yu-heng
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Guo-chao
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Huan-ying
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: Li-hua
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Xiang-yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Ai
authors.forename: Hai-xing
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Jia-yun
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Xiao-yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Bo-ying
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D020381:Interleukin-17; D016753:Interleukin-10; D015847:Interleukin-4