Invariant NKT cells (or type 1 NKT cells) co-express CD3 marker and NK receptors (CD56, CD161) and use a single type of TCRα chain (Vα24Jα18 for humans), comprising CD4-CD8-, CD4+ and CD8+ subsets. Participation of these cells and their cytokines in asthmatic children, in stable conditions and under exacerbation were studied.
Methods: Three groups on children (6-12 years old) were selected: 1) asthmatics under exacerbation attack (AE) within the first 24 hours after the attack and before starting any treatment; 2) asthmatics with stable asthma (SA), without symptoms for at least a month before bleeding; and 3) healthy controls (HC) without history of asthma, atopy and with normal lung function were selected in the Allergy and Clinical Immunology Service, Hospital Infantil de Mexico. Invariant NKT cells and subset levels as well as intracellular cytokines were evaluated in whole blood by 4-color flow cytometry (antibodies against CD3, CD4, CD8, CD161, Va24, IL-4 and IFN-g).
Results: Proportion of iNKT cells among total CD3+ cells in HC group was 0.9%, while in SA patients they were increased up to 2.6%; interestingly, during exacerbation such cells were dimished (1.8%). Concerning iNKT CD4+ cells were 0.6% in HC, 1.8% in SA, and 0.7% in AE, while iNKT CD8+ cells were 0.1% in HC, 0.7% in SA, and 0.4% in AE. Both iNKT cell subsets expressed intracellular IFN-g and IL-4 cytokines in AE, SA and HC but predominantly IFN-g in iNKT CD8+ cells from AE patients.
Conclusions: iNKT cells participation in asthma pathogenesis was confirmed. Increase of IFN-g production in patients with exacerbations, may provide a regulatory environment to stabilize the condition.