A profile of TNFR2+ regulatory T cells and CD103+ dendritic cells in the peripheral blood of patients with asthma

The interaction of tolerogenic CD103(+) dendritic cells (DCs) with regulatory T (Tregs) cells modulates immune responses by inducing immune tolerance. Hence, we determined the proportion of these cells in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of asthmatic patients. We observed lower trends of CD11b(-)CD103(+) DCs and CD86 within CD11b(-)CD103(+) DCs, while increased levels of Foxp3 expressing CD25(+/-)TNFR2(+) cells in asthmatics. There was a positive correlation in the expression of Foxp3 within CD3(+)CD4(+)CD25(+)TNFR2(+) Tregs and CD11b(-)CD103(+) as well as the expression of CD86 within HLA-DR(+)CD11c(+)CD11b-CD103(+) DCs. In conclusion, we suggest that the increased levels of Tregs in blood could continuously suppress the T helper 2 (Th2) cells activation in the circulation which is also supported by the increase of anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10 and TNF. Overall, functional immunoregulation of the regulatory cells, particularly Tregs, exhibit immune suppression and induce immune tolerance linked with the immune activation by the antigen presenting cells (APC).