title: FOXP3-marked IL-17a-producing regulatory T cells are increased in patients with allergic rhinitis.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  The deficient regulatory T cells may play a role in the development of allergic rhinitis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  A subpopulation of regulatory T cell that produce IL-17a were proved to show an apparent duality of regulatory T cell and effector T helper-17 cells. We studied this subpopulation in patients with allergic rhinitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fresh whole blood from 20 patients with allergic rhinitis and 19 healthy donors was used to investigate the frequencies of CD4(+)IFN-γ(+) T cells (effector T helper-1), CD4(+)IL-4(+) T cells (effector T helper-2) and CD4(+)IL-17a(+) T cells (effector T helper-17) by flow cytometry after stimulation for 4-6 h. Simultaneously, CD4(+) T lymphocytes were isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells and then the frequencies of regulatory T cells and IL-17a-producing regulatory T cells in the allergic rhinitis group were compared with healthy controls after T-cell antigen receptor stimulation for 48 h. The suppressive capacity of CD4(+)CD25(high)CD127(low) regulatory T cells that were stimulated by Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus in both groups was isolated and assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequencies of effector T helper-17 and effector T helper-2 cells were higher in the allergic group compared with healthy controls. Regulatory T cells were similar in both groups, but IL-17a-producing regulatory T cells were increased in the allergic group. In addition, the capacity of regulatory T cells to suppress effector T helper-17 cytokine production was significantly decreased in the allergic group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing TongRen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.forename: Chengshuo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Demin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Luo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides / Q000276:immunology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000097:blood*; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; C508717:IL17A protein, human; D020381:Interleukin-17; D007073:Immunoglobulin E