The changes and significance of T cell subsets and cytokines in the induced sputum in children with asthma

摘要

Objective:To explore the changes and significance of T cell subsets and cytokines in the induced sputum in children with asthma.Methods:A total of 86 cases of children with asthma were selected as research objects in the observation group, while a total of 35 cases of healthy children were chosen as research objects in the control group. Lung function indexes including the ratio (FEV1%) of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) / forced vital capacity (FVC) and the maximum peak expiratory flow (PEF), and inflammatory cytokines in the induced sputum including interleukin-8 (IL-8), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), and T cell subsets including Th1 cells, CD8+CD28- Treg cells, CD4+CD25+ Treg cells, Th2 cells and Th17 cells, and T cell subsets related cytokines including interferon-γ (IFN-γ), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), interleukin-4 (IL-4), and interleukin-17A (IL-17A) were all detected and compared between the two groups.Results:The levels of IL-8, TNF-α and IL-6 in the induced sputum in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05), while FEV1% and PEF were significantly decreased in the observation group compared with the control group (P<0.05); the number of Th1 cells, CD8+CD28- Treg cells and CD4+CD25+ Treg cells in the induced sputum was significantly lower, while the number of Th2 cells and Th17 cells was significantly higher in the observation group than that in the control group (P<0.05); the expression levels of IFN-γ from Th1 cells and TGF-β from Treg cells were significantly lower, while the expression levels of IL-4 from Th2 cells and IL-17A from Th17 cells were significantly higher in the observation group than those in the control group (P<0.05).Conclusions:The number of T cell subsets in the induced sputum in children with asthma is abnormal, showing increases in the number of the Th2 cells and Th17 cells as well as their related cytokines, and decreases in the number of Th1 cells and Treg cells as well as cytokines associated with them, which may account for the lung function decline and airway inflammation in children with asthma.