RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Class-I MHC-restricted T cell-associated molecule (CRTAM) is a protein expressed by activated natural killer T (NKT) cells, natural killer (NK) cells, CD8 T cells, and certain CD4 T lymphocytes. It is also expressed in Purkinje neurons and epithelial cells. However, no studies have examined the expression of CRTAM in peripheral blood cells during homeostasis or disease. Therefore, we explored whether CRTAM expression is influenced by the presence of allergic asthma. METHODS: We collected whole peripheral blood cells from non-asthmatic control subjects (n = 17) and patients with asthma (n = 17). All patients with asthma tested positive in allergen skin prick tests. We analyzed CRTAM expression in CD4(+) and CD8(+) T lymphocyte populations. CRTAM expression was also analyzed in CD177(+) neutrophils and IL5Rα(+) eosinophils. FINDINGS: The percentage of CD4(+)CRTAM(+) and CD8(+)CRTAM(+)T lymphocytes in peripheral blood was higher in allergic asthma patients compared with healthy controls. Furthermore, the percentage of CD177(+)CRTAM(+) neutrophils in peripheral blood was also elevated in patients with allergic asthma. However, the percentage of IL5Rα(+)CRTAM(+) eosinophils in peripheral blood was not significantly different in patients with allergic asthma compared with healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS: CRTAM expression on T cells, eosinophils, and neutrophils may be involved in bronchial inflammation in allergic asthma. Determination of CRTAM expression in peripheral blood may be useful for the diagnosis of bronchial inflammation and/or to identify recently activated immune cells.
RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: A T helper cell (TH) 17-biased response has been observed in patients with allergic asthma, particularly in those with neutrophil accumulation in the lung. Therefore, we sought to test the hypothesis that neutrophils might be an important source of interleukin (IL)-17 in allergic asthma. METHODS: Whole peripheral blood cells from non-asthmatic control subjects (n = 17) and patients with mild asthma (n = 7), moderate but persistent asthma (n = 4), or acute asthma (n = 6) were analyzed for IL-17A expression in CD177+ neutrophils. IL-17A expression was also analyzed in CD3+CD4+ and CD3+CD8+ lymphocyte populations. Asthmatic patients were classified as allergic to fungi, indoor allergens, or other allergens (e.g., pollen) based on a positive intradermal allergy test reaction. RESULTS: The percentage of CD177+ neutrophils in whole blood of asthmatic patients was higher than in healthy controls and highest in the moderate asthma group. Furthermore, the percentage of CD177+IL-17+ neutrophils was elevated in patients with mild asthma, whereas the CD4+ IL-17+ lymphocyte population was higher in asthmatic patients and highest in those with moderate but persistent asthma. We also found that the four patients that were allergic to fungi had the highest percentage of CD177+IL17+ neutrophils and CD8+IL17+ lymphocytes. CONCLUSION: IL17+CD177+ Neutrophils increase in allergic asthma patients especially when allergic to fungi. This cell population, through release of IL-17, might be contributing during the initial phase asthmatic disease and/or during disease progression but its role has not yet been established.
RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Asthma is a disease that has been considered mainly in children and teenagers, but due to the longer life expectancy, more elderly patients with pulmonary diseases suggestive of asthma have been detected. The diagnosis of asthma in patients over sixty years of age, becomes more complex, since there are coexistent diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, along with the difficulty for the performance of function pulmonary tests, which impact upon the adequate treatment and quality of life. OBJECTIVE: To spread and update information on the clinical usefulness of elderly asmathic patients. METHODS: We performed a search for Spanish and English articles, in indexed journals from medical databases. In these papers we looked up the words: geriatrics, asthma, aging, immunosenescence, and we chose those papers with clinical relevance. RESULTS: Of the information obtained from the selected 54 articles, we observed that the elderly asthmatic patients, usually do not have a prompt diagnosis and treatment from the health services, therefore affecting their quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: A better knowledge about asthma in the elderly is required, in order to improve their clinical status and quality of life, resulting in better outcomes.