ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the role of regulatory T cells for long-lasting effect of the sublingual immunotherapy(SLIT) in children with allergic asthma caused by dermatophagoides farinae.Methods Sixty children with mild allergic asthma who showed positive skin reaction to dermatophagoides allergen skin test were selected and randomly divided into SLIT group and non-SLIT group.The non-SLIT group received drug therapy only,while the SLIT group received sublingual dermatophagoides farina agent besides drug therapy.The mononuclear cells in the peripheral blood,the regulatory T cells induced by dermatophagoides farinae stimulator in 2 groups were determined by flow cytometry,as well as the levels of the serum IgE in the blood with specific dermatophagoides farina before treatment,1 year after treatment,at the end of treatment,and 1 year after treatment.Results The levels of regulatory T cells in the SLIT group were increased,with the treatment of specific immunotherapy it increased further and reached the peak after oneyear treatment and the peak level maintained after one year of treatment,which was not significantly different in the levels of regulatory T cells at the same period of time in the non-SLIT group (P ＞ 0.05).Compared with the non-SLIT group,the level of serum IgE had no significant differences between 2 groups before and after treatment (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion SLIT may induce immune tolerance by up-regulating inductive regulatory T cells,which may be involved in therapeutic mechanisms of the SLIT in the patients with allergic asthma caused by dust mites.
ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the influence of different T cell activators on the expression of Foxp3 in bronchial asthma.Met-hods Peripheral blood monouclear(PBMCs) were isolated from the 30 children suffering from mild persistent asthma allergic to house dust mite (HDM).PBMCs of those children were divided into 2 groups.One group was stimulated with HDM extracts (HDM group) and the other was stimulated with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) extracts (PMA group).After 48 hours of in vitro stimulation with HDM extracts or PMA extracts,the levels of CD4 + CD25 + T cells,CD4 + CD25 + Foxp3 + T cells and CD4 + CD25 + Foxp3 + IL-10 + T cells were measured by flow cytometry.Results The levels of CD4 + CD25 + T cells significantly decreased in the HDM group[(4.59 ± 1.10) ％] compared with those in the PMA group[(41.24 ±7.95)％] (P ＜0.0001).The levels of CD4+ CD25 + Foxp3 + T cells significantly decreased in the HDM group [(18.08 ± 1.82) ％] compared with those in the PMA group [(90.26 ± 3.63) ％] (P ＜ 0.0001).The levels of CD4 + CD25 + Foxp3 + IL-10 + T cells had no statistical significance in the HDM group [(37.62 ± 3.23) ％] compared with those in the PMA group [(38.33-± 3.95) ％] (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion Nonspecific T cell activators can increase the expression of Foxp3 in bronchial asthma.