Asthmatic farm children show increased CD3(+) CD8(low) T-cells compared to non-asthmatic farm children

Several studies report an important role of CD8(+) cytotoxic T-cells in atopy. Farm children show protection against atopy development, partly explained by CD4(+) T-cell subtypes. Additional effects of CD8(+) T-cells are unknown being investigated in this study within the PASTURE/EFRAIM birth cohort in PBMCs from farming and non-farming 6-year-old (N = 76) German children. CD3(+) CD8(+) CD25(+) T-cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. Genotyping of 17q21 locus-SNPs associated with childhood asthma was performed. No differences in CD8(+) T-cell subsets were seen between farmers and non-farmers regardless of asthma. Among farm children, asthmatics displayed increased CD3(+) CD8(low)(CD25(+)) T-cells compared to non-asthmatics. Asthmatic farm children exhibited a lower PI-induced stimulatory capacity of CD3(+) CD8(low)(CD25(+)) cells and a lower IFN-gamma secretion than non-asthmatic farm children. Among farm children with GSDMB and ORMDL3 risk alleles, asthmatics displayed higher CD3(+) CD8(low) cells than non-asthmatics. Our data indicates a specific role of CD8(low) T-cells in asthmatic farm children. (C) 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.