title: The effect of specific immunotherapy on natural killer T cells in peripheral blood of house dust mite-sensitized children with asthma.
abstract: To investigate the effects of specific immunotherapy on the NKT cells in peripheral blood and the ability of NKT cells to proliferate in response to alpha-galactosylceramide (alpha-GalCer) in house-dust-mite- (HDM-) sensitized asthma children, peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from 42 asthmatic children, of whom 24 were on specific immunotherapy (SIT) for more than a year and 20 were healthy. Compared with control group, the ratio of peripheral blood NKT and CD4(+)NKT cells was significantly decreased (P < 0.01) and was elevated in SIT asthma group (P < 0.05), respectively, but it was still less than the normal control group (P < 0.01). The level of IL-4 in serum secreted by NKT cells in asthma group was significantly higher than that of control group (P < 0.01), particularly apparent after 72 hours. The level of IL-4 in SIT group decreased significantly (P < 0.01). The level of IL-10 in serum secreted by NKT cells in asthma group was decreased significantly than that of the control group (P < 0.01) especially in 48 hours, while that of SIT group was increased significantly (P < 0.01). These results suggest that the pathogenesis of asthma may be related to the ratio and dysfunction of NKT and CD4(+)NKT cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200001, China.
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yan-ming
authors.forename: Cao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lan-fang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ya-qin
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Zhang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wen-ming
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005699:Galactosylceramides / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D055611:Natural Killer T-Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D039981:Pyroglyphidae / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D005699:Galactosylceramides; C493154:alpha-galactosylceramide; D016753:Interleukin-10; D015847:Interleukin-4