T Follicular Helper Cells In Peripheral Blood Are Associated With The Expression Of B Cells And Plasma Ige Level In Patients With Acute Asthma Exacerbation

Differentiation of T follicular helper (Tfh) cells was enhanced in patients with acute asthma exacerbation, but their associations with the expression of B cells and IgE level were not clear. In this study, we aimed to explore the correlations between Tfh cells and B cells, as well as plasma lgE, IgG(1) levels. Peripheral blood samples were collected from forty-two patients with acute exacerbation and forty-eight matched controls. Tfh cells (CD4(+)CXCR5(+)) and B cells (CD19(+)) were examined by flow cytometry, while plasma IgE, IgG(1) and IL-21 level were measured by enzymelinked immunosorbent assay ( ELISA). The percentage of Tfh cells (P<0.001), B cells (P<0.001) in peripheral blood, plasma IgE (P<0.001), IgG(1) (P<0.001) and IL-21 (P<0.001) levels were all increased in patients with acute asthma exacerbation compared with health controls. The percentage of Tfh cells was associated with B cells (r=0.514, P<0.001) and plasma IgE level (r=0.620, P<0.001), while no significant correlation between the percentage of Tfh Cells and IgG(1) (r=0.255, P=0.103) in asthma patients with acute exacerbation was observed. Similarly, plasma IL-21 level was associated with B cells (r=0.831, P<0.001) plasma lgE level (r=0.324, P=0.036), with no significant correlation between the plasma level of IL-21 and IgG(1) (r=0.207, P=0.188) in asthma patients with acute exacerbation. Tfh cells may participate in the airway inflammation reaction through promoting the differentiation and IgE class switching of B cells in asthma patients with acute exacerbation.