The effect of specific immunotherapy on natural killer T cells in peripheral blood of house dust mite-sensitized children with asthma.

To investigate the effects of specific immunotherapy on the NKT cells in peripheral blood and the ability of NKT cells to proliferate in response to alpha-galactosylceramide (alpha-GalCer) in house-dust-mite- (HDM-) sensitized asthma children, peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from 42 asthmatic children, of whom 24 were on specific immunotherapy (SIT) for more than a year and 20 were healthy. Compared with control group, the ratio of peripheral blood NKT and CD4(+)NKT cells was significantly decreased (P < 0.01) and was elevated in SIT asthma group (P < 0.05), respectively, but it was still less than the normal control group (P < 0.01). The level of IL-4 in serum secreted by NKT cells in asthma group was significantly higher than that of control group (P < 0.01), particularly apparent after 72 hours. The level of IL-4 in SIT group decreased significantly (P < 0.01). The level of IL-10 in serum secreted by NKT cells in asthma group was decreased significantly than that of the control group (P < 0.01) especially in 48 hours, while that of SIT group was increased significantly (P < 0.01). These results suggest that the pathogenesis of asthma may be related to the ratio and dysfunction of NKT and CD4(+)NKT cells.

[Overview and analysis of general projects in microbiology funded by NSFC during 2000 - 2006].

The general projects on subdisciplines of Microbiology which were funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) during the financial years of 2000 to 2006 are reviewed in this article. The number of general projects and funds involved are analyzed to give an overview of fundamental research in microbiology in China. Some important research fields in microbiology that the NSFC should support in the future are also recommended.