title: CD4(+)CD25(high)CD127(-) regulatory T-cells in COPD: smoke and drugs effect.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive lung disorder characterized by poorly reversible airway obstruction and its pathogenesis remains largely misunderstood. Local changes of regulatory T-cell populations in the lungs of COPD patients have been demonstrated although data concerning their pathologic role are contrasting. The aim of our study was to evaluate the relative percentage of regulatory T-cells in the peripheral blood of current and former smoker subjects, affected or not by COPD. Furthermore, the effect of different concentrations of budesonide and formoterol, on regulatory T-cells has been investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  T regulatory lymphocytes were isolated and assessed as CD4(+)CD25(high)CD127(-) cells by flow cytometry and cultured for 48 hours in the absence or in the presence of budesonide and/or formoterol at different doses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CD4(+)CD25(high)CD127(-) regulatory T-cells percentage was significantly reduced in COPD patients, both current and former smokers, with respect to volunteers. Furthermore, CD4(+)CD25(high)CD127(-) cells of COPD patients showed a not statistically significant response to drugs compared to healthy subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results evidenced a different behaviour of CD4(+)CD25(high)CD127(-) Treg cells in COPD patients after in vitro treatments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on our data, we suggested a possible role of CD4 CD25(high)CD127 T-cells in COPD pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Allergy and Respiratory Diseases, IRCCS San Martino-IST-University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chiappori
authors.affiliation: Allergy and Respiratory Diseases, IRCCS San Martino-IST-University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Folli
authors.affiliation: Allergy and Respiratory Diseases, IRCCS San Martino-IST-University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Balbi
authors.affiliation: Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Caci
authors.affiliation: Allergy and Respiratory Diseases, IRCCS San Martino-IST-University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Riccio
authors.affiliation: Allergy and Respiratory Diseases, IRCCS San Martino-IST-University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Ferrari
authors.affiliation: Allergy and Respiratory Diseases, IRCCS San Martino-IST-University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Melioli
authors.affiliation: Allergy and Respiratory Diseases, IRCCS San Martino-IST-University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Fulvio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Braido
authors.affiliation: Allergy and Respiratory Diseases, IRCCS San Martino-IST-University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio Walter
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Canonica
keywords: Budesonide; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); Corticosteroids; Formoterol; Inflammation; LABA; Regulatory T-cells