Association between interleukin-10 polymorphisms and CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ T cells in asthmatic children

• Published in: Jornal de pediatria Vol. 97; no. 5; pp. 546 - 551
• Main Authors: Mocellin, Magáli, de Azeredo Leitão, Lidiane Alves, de Araújo, Patrícia Dias, Jones, Marcus Herbert, Stein, Renato Tetelbom, Pitrez, Paulo Márcio, de Souza, Ana Paula Duarte, Pinto, Leonardo Araújo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Elsevier Editora Ltda 01.09.2021; Elsevier; Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria
• Subjects: Adolescent; Asthma; Asthma - genetics; Child; Children and adolescents; Forkhead Transcription Factors; Humans; Immunology; Interleukin-10; Interleukin-10 - genetics; Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; Leukocytes, Mononuclear; Original; PEDIATRICS; Polymorphism; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide - genetics; Regulatory T cells; Children and adolescents; Immunology; Interleukin-10; Regulatory T cells; Asthma; Polymorphism
• ISSN: 0021-7557; 1678-4782; 1678-4782
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jped.2020.11.008

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between possible functional interleukin-10 (IL-10) polymorphisms, IL-10 expression and regulatory T cells (Tregs) frequency, and/or asthma severity in a sample of children and adolescents. This is a nested case-control genetic association study. The study sample consisted of children and adolescents aged 8–14 from public schools. Four polymorphisms of the IL-10 gene (rs1518111, rs3024490, rs3024496, rs3024491) were genotyped in asthmatic subjects and controls using real-time PCR. Tregs cells and IL-10 were analyzed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells by flow cytometry. The severity of asthma was defined according to the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guideline. One hundred twenty-three asthmatic subjects and fifty-eight controls participated in the study. The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs3024491 (T allele) showed association with asthma severity, presenting a higher frequency in patients in the moderate asthma group. The T allele of variant rs3024491 also showed an association with reduced IL-10 levels (p=0.01) and with increased Tregs frequency (p=0.01). The other variants did not present consistent associations. Our results suggest that moderate asthma is associated with a higher frequency of the T allele in the SNP rs3024491. In addition, the variant rs3024491 (TT) was associated with a reduction in IL-10 production and an increased percentage of Tregs cells, suggesting possible mechanisms that influence asthma severity.