title: Expression of CD39 mRNA is altered in the peripheral blood of patients with allergic asthma.
abstract: The ectoenzyme CD39 hydrolyzes extracellular adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP), which possesses pro-inflammatory properties. However, the role of CD39 in allergic asthma has not been fully elucidated. A total of 18 patients with persistent asthma who were allergic to house dust mites and 19 healthy volunteers were enrolled in this study. The expression of CD39, GATA3, RAR-related orphan receptor γ (ROR-γt) and forkhead box P3 (FoxP3) mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was determined by SYBR-Green I quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The cytokines interleukin (IL)-4, IL-17A, transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) and DP.sIgE were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Our data demonstrated that the expression of CD39 mRNA in PBMCs from asthmatic patients was significantly lower compared to that in normal controls [(1.49±0.59)×10-3vs. (2.17±0.77)×10-3, respectively; P<0.01]. CD39 mRNA was negatively correlated with serum IL-4, IL-17A and GATA3 expression (r=-0.468, P<0.05; r=-0.550, P<0.05; and r=-0.424, P<0.01, respectively) and positively correlated with FoxP3 and TGF-β expression (r=0.373, P<0.05; and r=0.425, P<0.05, respectively). There was no obvious correlation between CD39 and ROR-γt expression (r=-0.259, P=0.122). These data suggested that CD39 mRNA expression was downregulated in allergic asthma, which was positively correlated with serum IL-4, IL-17A and GATA3 expression and negatively correlated with serum TGF-β and FoxP3 expression, whereas there was no correlation with ROR-γt. Therefore, it was hypothesized that CD39 may participate in the occurrence and progression of allergic asthma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Lin-Lin
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao University School of Medicine, Qingdao, Shandong 266011.
authors.forename: Ping-Hua
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chao-Guo
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ying-Huan
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xia-Xiao
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Na-Li
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yu-Bao
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Qin-Lian
authors.initials: QL
authors.lastname: Tao
keywords: CD39; allergic asthma; inflammatory factors