To determine serum levels of IgE and sCD23 and lymphocyte subpopulations, we studied 37 control subjects and 84 patients (27 with allergic rhinitis, 27 with extrinsic asthma, and 30 with intrinsic asthma). A rise in surface CD23 on B and monocyte cells and sCD23 serum levels was exhibited by patients with rhinitis and extrinsic asthma. Unexpectedly, in intrinsic asthmatic patients, high CD23 expression on monocytes and high sCD23 levels were seen that did not result in IgE production. It appears that CD23, in its soluble form, could be a good disease marker, especially in asthma. Atopic patients yielded a significantly lower proportion of CD4+ T cells than intrinsic asthmatic patients and normal persons. Otherwise, CD4+CD29+CD45RA- and CD4+CD29-CD45RA T-cell subsets were significantly decreased in all patient groups.
In several studies the HLA system has been implicated in the development of asthma, but the importance of the associations between HLA genes and asthma remains unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the HLA class I and II phenotypic frequencies in a population of asthmatics, and to analyse the relationship between these phenotypes and any type of asthma. We typed HLA class I and II antigens in a series of 189 asthmatic individuals (102 atopic and 87 non-atopic), and in a control population of 150 unrelated healthy Caucasoid donors. When the HLA phenotypic frequencies were compared, no statistical differences were found. Therefore, no definitive HLA association could be established with atopic or non-atopic asthma in the studied population. Abbreviations AA, atopic asthma; FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 s; NAA, non-atopic asthma; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; SSOP, sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes; SPT, skin prick test.
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