In vitro production of cytokines and allergen-specific IgE in bronchial asthmatic children with different disease activity.

The aim of this study was to further investigate the cytokine profile and the level of allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) and IgG4 in asthmatic children of different disease activity. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from seventy asthmatic children who had been newly diagnosed (N = 21), had good (N = 20) or poor response (N = 12) to immunotherapy or during acute attack (N = 17) and from twenty normal children. Cytokines produced by both PHA and mite allergen stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were assayed. Resulting data suggested: 1) the level of IgE anti-house dust mite (HDM) antibody was higher in asthmatic children with poor response to immunotherapy; in contrast, among the five groups the level of IgG4 anti-HDM antibody was the highest in asthmatic children with good response to immunotherapy among the five groups; 2) the level of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) produced by mite-stimulated PBMCs was the highest in asthmatic children with good response to immunotherapy among the five groups; in contrast, the level of interleukin-4 (IL-4) was the highest in the group of newly diagnosed asthmatic children; 3) the level of IL-13 was higher in asthmatic children with poor response to immunotherapy compared to those of the other groups; 4) a higher level of IL-10 and lower level of IL-12 were noted in groups of both good and poor response to immunotherapy compared to those of other groups. Although more studies are needed, the change of cytokines in asthmatic children with different disease activity or response to immunotherapy might shed light on further understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of atopic diseases.