Objective To analyze the expression significance of high mobility group protein-1(HMGB-1), helper T lymphocyte (Th) subsets and related cytokines in patients with allergic asthma of different severity.
Methods A total of 98 patients with mild to moderate, severe allergic asthma and 30 healthy controls (control group) who underwent physical examination at the same time were selected. The percentages of CD4+ interferon-γ+(IFN-γ+) T cells and CD4+ interleukin-4+(IL-4+) T cells in peripheral blood of the patients and healthy controls were analyzed by flow cytometry. HMGB-1, Th1 cytokines IFN-γ and Th2 cytokines IL-4, IL-5 levels in serum were detected by ELISA. The correlation between HMGB-1, Th1/Th2 cell subsets and their cytokines and severity of allergic asthma were analyzed by Spearman correlation analysis.
Results HMGB-1 expression, percentage of CD4+IFN-γ+ T cells IL-4 and IL-5 expressions in all asthma patients were higher than those in the control group. The level of HMGB-1 protein, percentage of CD4+IL-4+T cells, IL-4 and IL-5 expressions in the severe group were higher than those in the mild and moderate group. The percentages of CD4+IFN-γ+ T cells and IFN-γ expression in all patients were lower than those in the control group. The percentage of CD4+IFN-γ+T cells and IFN-γ expression in severe patients were lower than those in mild and moderate patients. Levels of HMGB-1 and IL-4 were negatively associated with lung function, while level of IFN-γ were positively associated with lung function.
Conclusions HMGB-1 and Th1/Th2 cytokines IFN-γ and IL-4 could be used as effective indicators for evaluation of the severity of bronchial asthma.
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