Cytokine Production by Peripheral Blood CD4+ and CD8+ T Cells in Atopic Childhood Asthma

Abstract EN

There are conflicting studies on T cell cytokine production in childhood asthma.

In this study intracellular cytokine expression of IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, IL-13, IFN-γ, and TNF-α in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in children with atopic asthma were measured by flow cytometry.

Results.

A significant increase in the percentage of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells producing IL-4 and IL-13 and decrease in the percentage of CD4+ producing IFN-γ in asthmatic children was found.

The percentage of CD4+/IL-13+ was significantly higher in severe asthma than in children with intermittent disease symptoms.

Severity of asthma was associated with increased both serum IgE and frequencies of CD4+/IL-13+ T cells, as well as duration of disease.

Moreover, a decrease in FEV1, FEV1/FVC was observed in relation to the severity of asthma.

Changes in cytokine profile in CD8+ subpopulation didn't depend on the severity of the disease.

Conclusions.

Increased production of IL-4 and IL-13 in both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells accompanied by decreased IFN-γ expression in CD4+ T cells may be evidence that both lymphocyte subpopulations are implicated in the pathogenesis of asthma.

Relationship of CD4+/IL-13+ T cells with disease activity suggests that this lymphocyte subset may have a prominent role in childhood asthma.