Different responses of T-cell subpopulations to allergen challenge in asthmatic children and normals.

Distributions of T-cell subpopulations before and after in vitro allergen stimulation were studied in 57 house dust sensitive asthmatic children and 23 healthy persons. House dust sensitivity was defined by both positive skin test and RAST, T micron cells were detected by rosette formation of T-cells with ox RBC-IgM complexes and T gamma cells with ox RBC-IgG complexes. Without stimulation there was no difference in the distribution of T micron and T gamma cells between patients and normals. After stimulation, while both T micron and T gamma cells were increased in patients, only T gamma cells were increased in normals. Therefore, the normal IgE response of healthy individuals to allergen exposure may result from enhanced T gamma suppressor cells.