Combined T regulatory cell and Th2 expression profile identifies children with cow's milk allergy

Emma M Savilahti; Sirkku Karinen; Harri M Salo; Paula Klemetti; Kristiina M Saarinen; Timo Klemola; Mikael Kuitunen; Sampsa Hautaniemi; Erkki Savilahti; Outi Vaarala

doi:10.1016/j.clim.2010.02.011

Combined T regulatory cell and Th2 expression profile identifies children with cow's milk allergy

Clin Immunol. 2010 Jul;136(1):16-20. doi: 10.1016/j.clim.2010.02.011. Epub 2010 Mar 15.

Authors

Emma M Savilahti¹, Sirkku Karinen, Harri M Salo, Paula Klemetti, Kristiina M Saarinen, Timo Klemola, Mikael Kuitunen, Sampsa Hautaniemi, Erkki Savilahti, Outi Vaarala

Affiliation

¹ Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.

PMID: 20227920
DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2010.02.011

Abstract

The role of T regulatory cells in spontaneous recovery from cow's milk allergy (CMA) is unclear. We investigated the mRNA expression of 12 T-cell markers and the protein expression of CD4, CD25, CD127, FoxP3 after in vitro beta-lactoglobulin stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from children with persisting CMA (n=16), early recovery (n=20) or no atopy (n=21). Artificial neural networks with exhaustive search for all marker combinations revealed that markers FoxP3, Nfat-C2, IL-16 and GATA-3 distinguished patients with persisting CMA most accurately from other study groups. FoxP3 mRNA expression following beta-lactoglobulin stimulation was highest in children with persisting CMA. Also the FoxP3 intensity in CD4(+) CD25(high)CD127(low) cells was higher in children with CMA compared with non-atopic children. The expression profile of both Th2- and T regulatory cell-related genes thus reflects the clinical activity of CMA. Tolerance, in contrast, is not characterized by activation of circulating T regulatory cells.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Cattle
Cell Count
Child
Child, Preschool
Forkhead Transcription Factors / genetics
Forkhead Transcription Factors / metabolism
GATA3 Transcription Factor / genetics
Gene Expression / genetics
Gene Expression / immunology
Humans
Immune Tolerance / immunology
Interleukin-16 / genetics
Interleukin-7 Receptor alpha Subunit / metabolism
Lactoglobulins / immunology
Leukocytes, Mononuclear / immunology
Leukocytes, Mononuclear / metabolism
Lymphocyte Activation / immunology
Milk Hypersensitivity / immunology*
Milk Hypersensitivity / metabolism
NFATC Transcription Factors / genetics
Neural Networks, Computer
T-Lymphocyte Subsets / cytology
T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology
T-Lymphocyte Subsets / metabolism
T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology
T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / metabolism*
Th2 Cells / immunology
Th2 Cells / metabolism*

Substances

FOXP3 protein, human
Forkhead Transcription Factors
GATA3 Transcription Factor
GATA3 protein, human
Interleukin-16
Interleukin-7 Receptor alpha Subunit
Lactoglobulins
NFATC Transcription Factors
NFATC2 protein, human