Balance Of T Lymphocyte Subsets In Bronchial Asthma

Objective: To investigate the imbalance of TH1/TH2,TC1/ TC2 in peripheral blood of bronchial asthma and their variation under dexamethasone or IFN-7. Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 18 asthmatic patients and 10 normal donors were isolated by density centrifugation with Ficoll - Hypague and cultivated with or without dexamethasone,IFN - γ respectively for 24 hours. Untill the 19. 5th hours,PMA,Monesin and Ionomycin were added into the cultive palate for continuing 4.5 hours. Then,CD4+T,CD8+T and their intracellular cytokine such as IL2,IL10,TGF-β were analysed by Flow cytometery. Results: (1) The frequencies of TH1 and TH2 in asthmatic group were significantly increased than that in normal control group, TH1/TH2 lower, TH3 higher. The percentages of TH1 and TH2 in asthmatic group stimulated with dexamethasone were significantly decreased than those in asthmatic control group, but TH1 /TH2 and TH3 no significant difference. The frequencies of TH1 in asthmatic group stimulated with IFN-γ were significantly increased than that in asthmatic control group, TH2 no significant difference, TH1/TH2 significantly increased, and TH3 significantly decreased. (2) The frequencies of Tc1 and Tc2 in asthmatic group were significantly increased than those in normal control group,Tc1/Tc2 higher. The percentages of Tc1 and Tc2 in asthmaticgroup stimulated with dexamethasone were significantly decreased than those in asthmatic control group, but Tc1/Tc2 no significant difference. The frequency of Tc1 in asthmatic group stimulated with IFN-γ was significantly increased than that in asthmatic control group, Tc2 no significant difference, Tc1/Tc2 significantly increased . (3) The frequencies of CD8 + TGF-β in asthmatic group were significantly increased than that in normal control group. The percentages of CD8 + TGF -β in asthmatic group stimulated with either dexamethasone or IFN -γ were all significantly decreased than that in asthmatic control group, while in asthmatic group, TGF -β stimulated with dexmethasone in both CD4 + T and CD8 + T was not significant difference. The frequency of CD8 + TGF - β in asthmatic group stimulated with IFN -γ has no significant difference than that in asthmatic control group. Conclusion: (1)There are the imbalances of TH1/TH2 and TC1/TC2 in peripheral blood of acute asthmatic patients. (2)The production of cytokine by CD4 + T can be suppressed by dexamethasone Which can neither reverse the imbalance ofTh1/Th2 and Tc1/Tc2 nor alleviate the airway remodeling. (3) IFN -γ may play a therapic role on asthma by reversing the imbalance of Th1/Th2 and Tc1/Tc2 and reducing the production of TGF - βin Lymph-ocyte which was thought to being related to asthmatic airway remodeling.