Bronchial macrophages in asthmatics reveal decreased CD16 expression and substantial levels of receptors for IL-10, but not IL-4 and IL-7.

The role of different subpopulations of bronchial macrophages (BMs) in asthma pathogenesis has not yet been completely elucidated. In addition, little is known about potential in vivo responsiveness of BMs to pro- and anti-inflam-matory cytokines present in the bronchial milieu. We aimed to characterize asthmatic patients' BM subpopulations delineated by common markers of macrophage/monocyte cells, CD16 and CD14, and subsequently to analyze cytokine receptor expression on those subsets. Subjects included eighteen patients with moderate asthma (six steroid-naive and twelve steroid-treated) and ten healthy control subjects. Flow cytometry was used to analyze phenotypical features of BMs including expression of receptors for IL-10, IL-4 and IL-7. Exhaled nitric oxide analysis and induced sputum eosinophil counts were used to assess airway inflammation. BMs from both steroid-naive and steroid-treated asthmatic patients showed significantly decreased expression of CD16, as compared to healthy subjects' BMs. CD16, but not CD14, expression inversely correlated with exhaled nitric oxide levels and sputum eosinophilia. Short-term administration of inhaled cortiocosteroids (ICS) in steroid-naive asthmatic patients led to significant reduction of CD16 expression and enhancement of CD14 expression. Next, we analyzed the expression of receptors for IL-10, IL-4 and IL-7 on the surface of BM subpopulations characterized by different levels of CD14 and CD16 expression. We observed substantial levels of IL-10R on the surface of BMs collected from asthmatic and healthy subjects. Interestingly, IL-10R was found mostly on those macrophages that co-expressed CD14. In contrast, independently on co-expression of CD14, the levels of IL-4R and IL-7R on BMs were low in both asthmatic and healthy subjects. The results suggest that different BM subsets may be differentially involved in regulating the inflammatory response in allergic asthma.