title: Changes in levels of IL-9, IL-17, IFN-γ, dendritic cell numbers and TLR expression in peripheral blood in asthmatic children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection.
abstract: Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) infection in children with asthma resulted in a more severe allergic state compared with a non-MP infected group. The infection rate of children with asthma was higher than that of the other groups, suggesting that being asthmatic may be a predisposing factor for MP infection and that the infection itself is an important co-factor in the disease progression of asthma. The number of dendritic cells (DCs) and the expression of TLR2 and TLR4 were compared in 22 asthmatic patients with MP infection, 22 asthmatic patients without MP infection, and 17 normal children as controls. The percentages of DCs in the peripheral blood of the three groups showed significant differences between asthmatic children with MP infection and controls, and asthmatic children without MP and controls (P<0.05), whereas no difference was found between asthmatic children with and without MP infection. The asthmatic children with MP infection group showed increased expression of TLR-2 and TLR-4 on DCs (P<0.01). Asthmatic patients infected with MP showed that DCs and TLRs (TLR-2, TLR-4) might play an important role in asthma pathogenesis with MP infection. The cytokines produced by the T-cell subsets in asthmatic children with MP infection showed a significant increase in IL-9 (P<0.01) and a decrease in IFN-γ (P<0.05) levels post-MP infection, while the IL-17 level remained stable (P>0.05), indicating a shift towards Th1/Th9 in the presence of MP infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy, Renji Hospital Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine Shanghai 200127, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.affiliation: Department of Renji Clinic School, Renji Hospital Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine Shanghai 200127, China.
authors.forename: Zhijie
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cong
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Renji Hospital Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine Shanghai 200127, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoli
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology Central Lab, Renji Hospital Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine Shanghai 200127, China.
authors.forename: Hanbing
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Renji Hospital Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine Shanghai 200127, China.
authors.forename: Lanfang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy, Renji Hospital Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine Shanghai 200127, China.
authors.forename: Yinshi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002452:Cell Count; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood*; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000097:blood*; D016906:Interleukin-9 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009177:Mycoplasma pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D012882:Skin Tests; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D051195:Toll-Like Receptor 2 / Q000097:blood*; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4 / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C573415:IFNG protein, human; C508607:IL9 protein, human; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D020381:Interleukin-17; D016906:Interleukin-9; C495342:TLR2 protein, human; C495345:TLR4 protein, human; D051195:Toll-Like Receptor 2; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D007371:Interferon-gamma
keywords: Childhood asthma; Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection; T-helper cell; Toll-like receptor; cytokines; dendritic cell