Allergy Asthma Immunol Res.  2016 Jul;8(4):338-345. 10.4168/aair.2016.8.4.338.

Age-Related Changes in Immunological Factors and Their Relevance in Allergic Disease Development During Childhood

• Chang WS
• Kim EJ
• Lim YM
• Yoon D
• Son JY
• Park JW
• Hong SJ
• Cho SH
• Lee JS

• KMID: 2165917
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4168/aair.2016.8.4.338

Abstract

PURPOSE
Allergic diseases are triggered by Th2-mediated immune reactions to allergens and orchestrated by various immunological factors, including immune cells and cytokines. Although many reports have suggested that childhood is the critical period in the onset of allergic diseases and aging leads to alter the susceptibility of an individual to allergic diseases, age-related changes in various immunological factors in healthy individuals as well as their difference between healthy and allergic children have not yet been established.
METHODS
We investigated the ratio of Th1/Th2 cells and the levels of 22 allergy-related cytokines across all age groups in individuals who were classified as clinically non-atopic and healthy. We also examined their differences between healthy and allergic children to evaluate immunological changes induced by the development of allergic diseases during childhood.
RESULTS
The Th1/Th2 ratio rose gradually during the growth period including childhood, reaching peak values in the twenties-thirties age group. Th1/Th2 ratios were significantly lower in allergic children than in healthy controls, whereas 14 of 22 cytokines were significantly higher in allergic children than in healthy controls. On the other hand, there were no differences in Th1/Th2 ratios and cytokines between healthy and allergic adolescents.
CONCLUSIONS
In this study, age-related changes in Th1/Th2 ratios were found in normal controls across all age groups, and decreases in Th1/Th2 ratio were observed with increasing of 14 cytokines in allergic children. The results of this study may be helpful as reference values for both monitoring immunological changes according to aging in healthy individuals and distinguishing between normal and allergic subjects in terms of immune cells and soluble factors.

Keyword

Allergy; Th1/Th2 ratio; cytokine; chemokine; childhood

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Aging
Allergens
Child
Critical Period (Psychology)
Cytokines
Hand
Humans
Hypersensitivity
Immunologic Factors*
Reference Values
Allergens
Cytokines
Immunologic Factors

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 The Th1/Th2 ratio and the percentage of Th1 and Th2 cells in healthy participants by age. (A) The Th1/Th2 ratio observed by the ratio of the percentage of IFN-γ+ CD4+ T cells (Th1 cells) to the percentage of IL-4+ CD4+ T cells (Th2 cells). (B, C) The percentage of Th1 and Th2 cells for each age group. All data were analyzed by flow cytometry just after isolating PBMCs from normal participants. The middle line of each box plot and circle represents a median and average value of each group, respectively.

• 

  Fig. 2 Comparison of the Th1/Th2 ratio and the percentages of Th1 and Th2 cells between normal and allergic individuals. (A) The Th1/Th2 ratio observed by the ratio of the percentage of IFN-γ+ CD4+ T cells (Th1 cells) to the percentage of IL-4+ CD4+ T cells (Th2 cells). (B, C) The percentage of Th1 and Th2 cells for each age group. All data were analyzed by flow cytometry just after isolating PBMCs from normal participants. The middle line of each box plot represents a median value of each group.

• 

  Fig. 3 Comparison of cytokine levels in plasma between normal and allergic individuals during childhood and adolescence. (A-L) The 12 cytokine levels in plasma analyzed simultaneously using the Multiplex kit. All values represent pg/mL.

• 

  Fig. 4 Comparison of plasma chemokines between normal and allergic individuals during childhood and adolescence. (A-J) The 10 chemokine levels in plasma analyzed simultaneously using the Multiplex kit. All values represent pg/mL.

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