title: [Alterations of CD4+CXCR5+Tfh cells and its transcription regulatory factors in children with asthma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the alterations of follicular T helper cells (CD4(+)CXCR5(+)Tfh cells, Tfh) on circulating T lymphocytes in children with asthma, and to study the expression of transcription regulatory factors BCL-6 and BLIMP-1 mRNA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-four children with asthma and 25 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. On the basis of the disease, the children with asthma were classified into acute phase group (n=36) and remission phase group (n=28). The flow cytometry was used to detect the proportion of CD4(+)CXCR5(+)Tfh cells on CD4(+)T lymphocytes. Real-time PCR was performed to detect the levels of BCL-6 mRNA and BLIMP-1 mRNA. The double -antibody Sandwich ELISA was used to detect plasma concentrations of total IgE, IL-2, IL-6 and IL-21.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportion of CD4(+)CXCR5(+)Tfh cells was significantly higher in the acute group than in the control group and the remission group (P<0.05). Transcription levels of BCL-6 mRNA were significantly higher, while the inhibitory factors BLIMP-1 mRNA was significantly lower in the acute group than in the remission group and control group (P<0.05). The plasma concentration of IL-6 in the acute group increased significantly compared with the control group (P<0.05). Plasma concentrations of total IgE and IL-21 increased significantly, in contrast, plasma IL-2 concentration decreased significantly in the acute group, compared with the control group and the remission group (P<0.05). Correlation analysis showed that both IL-21 and IL-6 concentrations were positively correlated with the proportion of CD4(+)CXCR5(+)Tfh cells (r=0.76, r=0.46 respectively; P<0.05), while IL-2 level was negatively correlated with the proportion of Tfh cells (r=-0.68, P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The abnormal proportion of CD4(+)CXCR5(+)Tfh cells might be involved in the immunological pathogenesis of acute asthma in children. The increased expression of BCL-6 mRNA and decreased expression of BLIMP-1 mRNA as well as the alterations of plasma total IgE, cytokines IL-2, IL-6 and IL-21 in microenvironment might be account for the increased proportion of CD4(+)CXCR5(+)Tfh cells in children with acute asthma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Disease, Zhengzhou Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou 450003, China. mlgbwxw@163.com.
authors.forename: Ya-Jie
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Guo-Hong
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jun-Ling
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Xiao-Ling
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Jian-Xiang
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Cheng-Rong
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Guo-Bing
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D000074462:Positive Regulatory Domain I-Binding Factor 1; D051560:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-6; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D054380:Receptors, CXCR5 / Q000032:analysis*; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*; D000098546:Interleukin-21
chemical_list: C084103:BCL6 protein, human; C095085:CXCR5 protein, human; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D007378:Interleukins; D051560:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-6; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D054380:Receptors, CXCR5; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C087042:PRDM1 protein, human; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D000074462:Positive Regulatory Domain I-Binding Factor 1; D000098546:Interleukin-21