Objective: To investigate the number of T helper 9 (Th9) cells and the level of Th9 cell related cytokines in the lung tissues of mice with bronchial asthma and understand their relationship to the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma.
Methods: Sixteen SPF BALB/c mice were randomized into normal group and asthma group (8 mice in each group). After asthmatic models were established, the airway responsiveness was detected with non-invasive lung function machine, ELISA was used for determining the concentrations of cytokine interleukin-9 (IL-9), IL-10 and IL-13 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), HE staining and PAS staining was employed for observing the lung pathological changes, flow cytometry was used for testing the percentages of lung IL-9+ lymphocytes, IL-10+ lymphocytes and IL-13+ lymphocytes in lung CD3+ lymphocytes.
Results: Compared with normal group, asthma group showed higher airway responsiveness, more severe airway inflammation and increased concentrations of cytokine IL-9 and IL-13, decreased concentration of cytokine IL-10 in BALF, higher percentages of lung IL-9+ lymphocytes and IL-13+ lymphocytes in CD3+ lymphocytes, and lower percentage of IL-10+ lymphocytes.
Conclusion: The expression of IL-9 was higher, but IL-10 was lower in asthma group. Th9 cells might play an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma.