目的：CD40/CD40L是免疫应答中的一对协同刺激分子,它们在哮喘的发病中可能起到至关重要的作用,该文旨在探讨CD40/CD40L的表达与儿童哮喘的发病关系。方法：随机选择哮喘急性发作患儿32例,对照组20例。用流式细胞仪检测其外周血T、B淋巴细胞表达分化抗原CD40及其配体CD40L的百分率,并比较哮喘组与对照组之间的差异性。结果：哮喘组B淋巴细胞CD40的表达率较对照组明显增高(17.05±4.88vs13.89±3.67,P<0.05);哮喘组CD4+T淋巴细胞CD40L的表达率较对照组明显增高(8.04±3.53vs5.58±3.00,P<0.05)。结论：哮喘急性发作患儿存在的相关免疫细胞CD40/CD40L的异常表达,可能是其免疫失衡发病因素之一。

OBJECTIVE: CD40 and CD40 ligand (CD40L) are a pair of co-stimulatory molecules in immunoreaction, and might play an important role in the development of asthma. This study aimed to explore the relationship between the expression of CD40 and CD40L and the development of asthma in children. METHODS: Thirty-two children with acute asthma were selected randomly and 20 age-matched healthy children were enrolled as controls. Flow cytometry was used to detect the expression of CD40 and CD40L in T and B lymphocytes in peripheral blood. RESULTS: The expression level of CD40 in B cells of asthmatic patients was significantly higher than that of controls (17.05±4.88 vs 13.89±3.67, P < 0.05). CD4~+T cells of asthmatic patients expressed a higher level of CD40L compared with controls (8.04±3.53 vs 5.58±3.00,P <0.05) . CONCLUSIONS: Expression of CD40 and CD40L were increased in relevant immune cells of children with acute asthma, which may contribute to the immune pathogenesis of asthma.