Allergen-induced cytokine secretion in atopic and non-atopic asthmatic children

Atopic asthma is characterized by excessive T helper 2 (Th2)-like immunity to allergens in the bronchial mucosa. The Th2-cytokine interleukin (IL)-4 induces IgE production, while the Th2-cytokine IL-5 promotes eosinophilic inflammation in the airways of asthmatics. Most asthmatics are atopic, but a subgroup is non-atopic. We hypothesize that allergen-induced Th2, particularly IL-5, responses can be observed in peripheral blood in both atopic and non-atopic asthmatic children but not in healthy control children. The aim of the present study was to determine IL-4, IL-5, IL-9, IL-10, IL-13 and IFN-gamma secretion induced from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) by a broad panel of inhalant allergens (timothy, cat, birch, dog and house dust mite) in asthmatic children with and without sensitization. The study included 13 atopic asthmatic, 5 non-atopic asthmatic, and 12 non-atopic non-asthmatic children. PBMC were stimulated with allergens and cytokine production was measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Higher levels of cat and dog antigen-induced IL-5 release were more commonly observed in both atopic and non-atopic asthmatics than in controls. Children with atopic, but not non-atopic, asthma produced higher levels of allergen-induced IL-4 and IL-9 than controls. Non-atopic asthmatics produced more IL-10 than atopic asthmatics after cat stimulation. High levels of eosinophilia-associated IL-5 responses are induced by cat and dog allergen in both atopic and non-atopic asthmatic children. The Th2 cytokines IL-4 and IL-9 were associated only with atopic asthma, probably due to their IgE-inducing properties.