Allergy Asthma Immunol Res.  2014 Sep;6(5):444-448. 10.4168/aair.2014.6.5.444.

Increased Th2-like Invariant Natural Killer T cells in Peripheral Blood From Patients With Asthma

• Shim JU
• Koh YI

• KMID: 2181081
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4168/aair.2014.6.5.444

Abstract

PURPOSE
Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells might play an important role in asthma pathogenesis in humans. Our previous study found no difference in the number of blood iNKT cells between asthma patients and controls. However, few studies have examined the function of blood iNKT cells in human asthma.
METHODS
Twenty asthma patients and eight controls were included in this study. Blood iNKT cells were identified using double staining with anti-Valpha24 and anti-Vbeta11 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) or with 6B11 and anti-Vbeta11 mAbs. Intracellular IL-4, IL-10, and IFN-gamma cytokines were stained in blood iNKT cells using their respective mAbs and isotypes. In addition, their relationships with clinical parameters were analyzed.
RESULTS
The number of Valpha24+Vbeta11+ iNKT cells or 6B11+Vbeta11+ iNKT cells did not differ between asthma patients and controls. However, among Valpha24+Vbeta11+iNKT cells, the proportion of IL-4+iNKT cells was increased in asthma patients compared to controls (7.0+/-3.0% vs 0.5+/-0.4%, P<0.05). There were no differences in the proportions of IL-10+or IFN-gamma+iNKT cells between the groups. The proportion of IL-4+ cells among 6B11+Vbeta11+iNKT cells inversely correlated with FEV1, expressed as a percentage predicted value in asthma patients (Rs=-0.64, P<0.05, n=19).
CONCLUSIONS
Blood iNKT cells are thought to be Th2-like, and IL-4-producing iNKT cells may be associated with lung function in human asthma.

Keyword

Asthma; Natural killer T cell; Th2 cytokines

MeSH Terms

Antibodies, Monoclonal
Asthma*
Cytokines
Humans
Interleukin-10
Interleukin-4
Lung
Natural Killer T-Cells*
Antibodies, Monoclonal
Cytokines
Interleukin-10
Interleukin-4

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Representative flow cytometry analyses of intracellular IL-4 and IFN-γ cytokines in Vα24+Vβ11+ iNKT cells (A) or 6B11+Vβ11+ iNKT cells (B).

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  Fig. 2 Comparison of the proportion of IL4+ cells in Vα24+Vβ11+ iNKT cells between asthma subjects (n=20) and controls (n=8).

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  Fig. 3 Relationship between the proportion of IL-4+ cells in 6B11+Vβ11+ iNKT cells and FEV1, expressed as percentage predicted values, in asthma patients.

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