title: Intracellular IL-4, IL-5, and IFN-γ as the main characteristic of CD4+CD30+ T cells after allergen stimulation in patients with vernal keratoconjunctivitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) is a severe form of allergic conjunctivitis, in which inflammatory infiltrates of the conjunctiva are characterized by CD3+ and CD30+ cells. Until today, the functional involvement of CD30+ T cells in VKC was unclear. Our aim was to evaluate the functional characteristics of CD30+ T cells after allergen stimulation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained from patients with VKC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen consecutive patients at the Institute of Ophthalmology with active forms of VKC were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After allergen stimulation, we observed the frequency of CD30+ T cells increased compared with non-stimulated cells (p<0.0001). The CD30+ T cells responded to the specific allergen-inducing expression of intracellular interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-5, and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) compared with the CD30- T cells (p<0.0001). Increased early secretion of soluble CD30 was observed in the supernatant of the cultured cells from patients with keratoconjunctivitis, compared with healthy controls (p=0.03). Blockage with IL-4 significantly diminished CD30 frequency in the allergen-stimulated cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that after allergenic stimulation, CD4+CD30+ cells are the most important source of IL-4, IL-5, and IFN-γ. IL-4 acts as an activation loop that increases CD30 expression on T cells after specific stimulation. These findings suggest that CD4+CD30+ T cells are effector cells and play a significant role in the immune pathogenic response in patients with vernal keratoconjunctivitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Research Unit, Institute of Ophthalmology "Conde de Valenciana Foundation," México, D.F.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Magaña
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Research Unit, Institute of Ophthalmology "Conde de Valenciana Foundation," México, D.F.
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aguilar
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Research Unit, Institute of Ophthalmology "Conde de Valenciana Foundation," México, D.F.
authors.forename: Marisela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Linares
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Research Unit, Institute of Ophthalmology "Conde de Valenciana Foundation," México, D.F.
authors.forename: Julio
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ayala-Balboa
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Research Unit, Institute of Ophthalmology "Conde de Valenciana Foundation," México, D.F.
authors.forename: Concepción
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Santacruz
authors.affiliation: Immunology Lab, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico, D.F.
authors.forename: Raúl
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chávez
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, National School of Biological Sciences, National Polytechnic Institute, Mexico, D.F.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Estrada-Parra
authors.affiliation: Immunology Lab, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico, D.F.
authors.forename: Yonathan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Garfias
authors.affiliation: Immunology Lab, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico, D.F.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lascurain
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Research Unit, Institute of Ophthalmology "Conde de Valenciana Foundation," México, D.F ; Immunology Lab, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico, D.F.
authors.forename: Maria C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Martínez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000008:administration & dosage; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000378:metabolism; D017730:Ki-1 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D016207:Cytokines; C508598:IL4 protein, human; C508599:IL5 protein, human; D015848:Interleukin-5; D017730:Ki-1 Antigen; D003208:Concanavalin A; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma