Abnormal suppressive capacity of regulatory T cells to Th17 and Th9 cells in asthmatic patients / 中国免疫学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To study the abnormal suppressive capacity of regulatory T cells ( Tregs) to effector cells,Th17 cells and Th9 cells in patients with mild to moderate asthma attack.Methods: Recruited asthmatic patients (n=30) and healthy control (n=30),collected peripheral venous blood from healthy control and asthmatic patients in mild to moderate attack stage respectively,and then isolated CD4+CD25+CD127-/low Tregs and CD4+CD25-T effect cells with immunomagnetic beads method ( purity was above 90%).The effect cells were cultured with PHA stimulation with or without Tregs.Measured the proliferation (3H-Thymidine), expression of RORC and PU.1 ( RT-PCR) genes,production of IL-17 and IL-9 ( LUMNEX) in effect cells with or without Tregs inter-vention.Analyzed the abnormality of Th17 and Th9 cells and the supressive capacity of Tregs on Th17 and Th9 cells in patients with asthma attack,comparing with control group.Results:Tregs of asthmatic patients could suppress the proliferation of effector cells,but less effectively than healthy control (P=0.03).In asthmatic patients,RORC expression and IL-17 production increased (P0.05).Conclusion:The suppressive capacity and amount of Tregs decreased,but the specific gene expression and cytokines production of Th17 cells and Th9 cells were upregulated in patients with mild to moderate asthma attack.This deficiency for the suppressive capacity of Tregs to Th17 but not Th9 cells may indicate some pathogenesis of asthma devel-opment.