Inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate downregulates CD4 and CD8 T-lymphocyte activation in peripheral blood of patients with asthma

Background: Previous studies demonstrated a downregulation of T-lymphocyte (CD3(+) cells) activation in peripheral blood after treatment with inhaled corticosteroids in patients with asthma. Objective: This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of inhaled corticosteroids on CD4 and CD8 T-lymphocyte activation, respectively. Methods: We examined the expression of three surface activation markers (CD25, HLA-DR, and very late activation antigen 1) on circulating CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell subsets in subjects with asthma (n = 23) before and 8 weeks after treatment with inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate dry powder (daily dose, 800 mu g). Results: Beclomethasone dipropionate treatment had a marked effect in reducing the expression of the activation marker CD25 (p < 0.01) in both CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell subsets in peripheral blood of patients with asthma. However, no correlation was found between the downregulation of CD4 and CD8 T-lymphocyte activation and the improvement in physiologic indices of disease activity. Conclusions: These data add to the view that CD4(+) and CD8(+) T lymphocytes in peripheral blood of patients with asthma are in an activated state that is downregulated by inhaled corticosteroids.