This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. This project will study lymphocytes, which might serve in helping limit inflammatory responses, and may play a role in establishing tolerance to allergens. The lack of T regulatory cells is associated with severe autoimmune and allergic manifestations. We are conducting a study to determine whether variations in the number and function of TR cells affect the risk of childhood allergies and asthma. Our primary objective is to determine if asthma-related reductions in TR cell number and function are associated with the asthma disease severity. Our secondary objective is to compare children with persistent moderate or severe asthma to those with no symptoms to mild signs of asthma with respect to immunologic characteristics, such as TR phenotype and function, cytokine responses, allergen-specific IgE, and clinical characteristics, such as lung function, positive allergen skin tests and recurrent respiratory illnesses.
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