Abstract
Memory T helper (Th) and regulatory T (Treg) cells play key roles in asthma. Certain sialyl carbohydrate determinants for selectins profoundly affect the migratory properties of memory Th cells, and the suppressive function of Treg cells. Previous studies have shown that the proportion of CCR4+ memory Th cells expressing sialyl 6-sulfo Lewis X (LeX) is elevated in asthma patients. We aim to investigate the roles of different sialyl glycans on T cell subsets in asthma. Using flow cytometry, we assessed the expression of three sialyl glycans, sialyl 6-sulfo LeX, cyclic sialyl 6-sulfo LeX, and sialyl LeX on memory Th and Treg cells, in the peripheral blood of asthmatic children. We also assessed the relationships between glycan-expressing cell percentages and asthma clinical parameters. Compared with controls, asthmatic children showed higher proportions of memory Th cells expressing sialyl LeX and sialyl 6-sulfo LeX. The proportions of memory Th cells with sialyl 6-sulfo LeX and cyclic sialyl 6-sulfo LeX expression in asthmatic children correlated with absolute eosinophil count and IgE level, respectively. Children with moderate-to-severe asthma had lower numbers of sialyl LeX positive Treg cells. Our study suggests that sialyl glycans on T cells may play important roles in the pathogenesis of asthma.
Highlights
Memory T helper (Th) and regulatory T (Treg) cells play key roles in asthma
Since our previous study found a significant increase in the proportion of sialyl 6-sulfo Lewis X (LeX) –expressing CCR4+ memory Th cells of asthma patients[6], in the present study we assessed the expression of three carbohydrate glycans, sialyl 6-sulfo LeX, cyclic sialyl 6-sulfo LeX and Sialyl Lewis X (sLeX), on subsets of memory Th cells and Treg cells from the peripheral blood of asthmatic children, and examined their associations with asthma severity and clinical parameters in order to better understand their potential roles in the pathogenesis of asthma
The sialyl 6-sulfo LeX positive and the cyclic sialyl 6-sulfo LeX positive memory Th cells were associated with absolute eosinophil count and Immunoglobulin E (IgE) level in blood, respectively, which are important biomarkers in asthma
Summary
Memory T helper (Th) and regulatory T (Treg) cells play key roles in asthma. Certain sialyl carbohydrate determinants for selectins profoundly affect the migratory properties of memory Th cells, and the suppressive function of Treg cells. A recent study has revealed the importance of sLeX for identifying the most suppressive Treg cells[14] Another carbohydrate ligand for all the selectin family members, sialyl 6-sulfo LeX, is known to be expressed on skin-homing central memory Th cells, and involved in the pathogenesis of immune-mediated diseases like atopic dermatitis[15]. Since our previous study found a significant increase in the proportion of sialyl 6-sulfo LeX –expressing CCR4+ memory Th cells of asthma patients[6], in the present study we assessed the expression of three carbohydrate glycans, sialyl 6-sulfo LeX, cyclic sialyl 6-sulfo LeX and sLeX, on subsets of memory Th cells and Treg cells from the peripheral blood of asthmatic children, and examined their associations with asthma severity and clinical parameters in order to better understand their potential roles in the pathogenesis of asthma
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