Smith, Karen A, Gray, Nicola J, Cheek, Elizabeth, Saleh, Femi, Lavender, Jo, Frew, Anthony J, Kern, Florian and Tarzi, Michael (2013) Characterisation of CD154+ T cells following ex vivo birch allergen stimulation defines a close relationship between T cell subsets in healthy volunteers. BMC Immunology, 14 (14). pp. 1-11. ISSN 1471-2172
Full text not available from this repository.Abstract
BACKGROUND
Allergic sensitisation has been ascribed to a dysregulated relationship between allergen-specific Th1, Th2 and regulatory T cells. We hypothesised that the relationship between these T cell subsets could be better defined using a short-term allergen stimulation system followed by direct analysis of CD154-positive T cells. Using peripheral blood samples from birch pollinosis patients and healthy non-atopic controls, we sought to explore the frequencies and phenotype of birch-stimulated CD154-positive T helper cells following ex vivo birch allergen stimulation.
RESULTS
Activated CD154-positive Th1, Th2 and Tr1-like cells, that co-expressed IFNγ, IL-4 and IL-10 respectively, were identified in both birch-allergic and non-allergic participants. We observed a close correlation between Th1, Th2 and Tr1-like cell frequency in non-allergic volunteers, such that the three parameters increased together to maintain a low Th2: Th1 ratio. The relationship between Th1, Th2 and Tr1-like responses was dysregulated in birch-allergic patients, with abrogation of the IL-10 response and a higher Th2: Th1 ratio. A close correlation was observed between Th2 cell frequency and the absolute concentration of birch-specific IgE within the birch-allergic group, and we confirmed previous reports of a more differentiated T cell phenotype in allergic subjects.
CONCLUSIONS
The findings demonstrate an important balance between IFNγ, IL-4 and IL-10 T cell responses to birch allergen in health, where Th2 responses to allergens were frequently observed, but apparently balanced by Th1 and regulatory responses. The detection of CD154 positive T cells after short-term antigen stimulation may be a useful method for the detection of T cell responses to allergens when cost, speed and convenience are priorities.
Item Type: | Article |
---|---|
Schools and Departments: | Brighton and Sussex Medical School > Clinical and Experimental Medicine Brighton and Sussex Medical School > Division of Medical Education |
Subjects: | R Medicine |
Related URLs: | |
Depositing User: | Patricia Butler |
Date Deposited: | 19 Jul 2013 14:57 |
Last Modified: | 26 Jan 2018 13:06 |
URI: | http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/45726 |