Source: Annual Congress 2001 - Molecular and cellular pathology of asthma
Disease area: Airway diseases

Abstract

Asthma, atopy and forms of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection share a Th2 immunopathogenesis. Decreased type 1 responses are implicated in virus-induced asthma exacerbations. However, in studies using intracellular cytokine staining polyclonal stimulation of PBMC results in more IFN-γ secreting CD8+ T cells in asthmatics than in controls. With increasing availability of specific immunotherapy it is important to determine whether PBMC reactivity can be used to establish sensitization to atopens and its Th1/Th2 bias.
Hypothesis: Frequencies of cells producing type 2 cytokines in response to allergens and respiratory viruses are increased in PBMC from atopic and asthmatic adults.
PBMC were obtained from 60 adult asthmatic, atopic or normal volunteers. ELISPOT was used to determine the numbers of cells producing IL-4 and IFN-γ after stimulation with RSV, RSV F/G protein, rhinovirus-16, cat, birch and house dust mite allergens. Asthmatics had 6 times higher median frequencies of cat and birch allergen-reactive T cells producing IL-4 than non-asthmatic subjects (37 v 7 p<0.01 and 20 v 3 p<0.04, per million PBMC, respectively). Responses to viral allergens were similar in both groups. Non-asthmatic atopics did not have increased allergen responsive IL-4 producing cells. We did not see a correlation between skin prick reactivity and ELISPOT results to allergen.
Conclusion: Enhanced IL-4 responses to non-viral aeroallergens are seen in asthmatics regardless of atopic status. ELISPOT assays provide a single cell based cytokine profile of PBMC reactivity that could be used to monitor the effect of treatment.

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Citations should be made in the following way:
P. Pala, S. D. Message, S. L. Johnston, P. J. M. Openshaw (London, United Kingdom). Cytokine expression and frequency of allergen specific T-cells in adult asthma and atopy. Eur Respir J 2001; 16: Suppl. 31, 3560

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