Lei Xin1, Junjie Gao2, Xiahui Ge3, Chenxuan Tian4, Weirong Ma5, Zhigang Tian6, Xiwei Zheng7, Jia Hou8. 1. Ningxia Medical University, Ningxia, China. Electronic address: leixin98@sohu.com. 2. Ningxia Medical University, Ningxia, China. Electronic address: 651179795@qq.com. 3. Department of Respiratory Medicine, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: 15000760961@126.com. 4. Ningxia Medical University, Ningxia, China. Electronic address: lzlhou@126.com. 5. Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Ningxia, China. Electronic address: 13895488469@163.com. 6. Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Ningxia, China. Electronic address: 1211612986@qq.com. 7. Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Ningxia, China. Electronic address: xiweizheng@yeah.net. 8. Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Ningxia, China. Electronic address: houj@nyfy.com.cn.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Human regulatory T cells (Tregs) are a heterogeneous population which consists of three distinct subpopulations: CD25+CD45RA+ resting Treg (rTreg) cells; CD25hiCD45RA- activated Treg (aTreg) cells, which are both suppressive; and CD25+CD45RA- cytokine-secreting T cells with pro-inflammatory capacity. OBJECTIVE: We investigated variation in peripheral Treg subpopulations of asthma and explored their potential roles in asthma inflammation. METHODS: Twenty-eight mild asthma patients, 26 moderate asthma patients, 18 severe asthma patients, and 36 healthy controls were recruited for a cross-sectional study. Phenotyping of peripheral CD4+ Tregs was performed based on flow cytometry results. RESULTS: The proportions of rTreg and aTreg cells among CD4+ T cells were higher in mild and moderate asthma patients than in healthy controls. All three groups of asthmatics had a higher proportion of pro-inflammatory Tregs than healthy controls, and these increased with asthma severity. The proportion of IL-17-producing Foxp3+ cells and IFN-ɤ-producing Foxp3+ cells strongly correlated with T helper 17 (Th17) cells (r = 0.66, p < 0.001) and Th1 cells (r = 0.48, p < 0.001). The pro-inflammatory Treg subpopulation was correlated with the severity of asthma and may be insensitive to corticosteroids. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that pro-inflammatory Treg subpopulations may be relevant to the plasticity of Th17 and Th1 differentiation and play an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma.
BACKGROUND:Human regulatory T cells (Tregs) are a heterogeneous population which consists of three distinct subpopulations: CD25+CD45RA+ resting Treg (rTreg) cells; CD25hiCD45RA- activated Treg (aTreg) cells, which are both suppressive; and CD25+CD45RA- cytokine-secreting T cells with pro-inflammatory capacity. OBJECTIVE: We investigated variation in peripheral Treg subpopulations of asthma and explored their potential roles in asthma inflammation. METHODS: Twenty-eight mild asthmapatients, 26 moderate asthmapatients, 18 severe asthmapatients, and 36 healthy controls were recruited for a cross-sectional study. Phenotyping of peripheral CD4+ Tregs was performed based on flow cytometry results. RESULTS: The proportions of rTreg and aTreg cells among CD4+ T cells were higher in mild and moderate asthmapatients than in healthy controls. All three groups of asthmatics had a higher proportion of pro-inflammatory Tregs than healthy controls, and these increased with asthma severity. The proportion of IL-17-producing Foxp3+ cells and IFN-ɤ-producing Foxp3+ cells strongly correlated with T helper 17 (Th17) cells (r = 0.66, p < 0.001) and Th1 cells (r = 0.48, p < 0.001). The pro-inflammatory Treg subpopulation was correlated with the severity of asthma and may be insensitive to corticosteroids. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that pro-inflammatory Treg subpopulations may be relevant to the plasticity of Th17 and Th1 differentiation and play an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma.
Authors: Tabata M Dos Santos; Renato F Righetti; Bianca G Rezende; Elaine C Campos; Leandro do N Camargo; Beatriz M Saraiva-Romanholo; Silvia Fukuzaki; Carla M Prado; Edna A Leick; Milton A Martins; Iolanda F L C Tibério Journal: Ther Adv Respir Dis Date: 2020 Jan-Dec Impact factor: 4.031