Adhesion Promotes Allergic Rhinitis CD4⁺IL4⁺ T Cell Differentiation via ICAM1 and E-Selectin

Neuroimmune communication plays an important role in allergic inflammation, but the neuroimmune regulation of allergic rhinitis remains unclear.

The goal of this study was to investigate the role of CD4-positive T lymphocyte (CD4⁺ T cells) adhesion to D-U87 neuron-like cells in mediating allergic rhinitis CD4⁺ T cell differentiation.

D-U87 neuron-like cells were derived from the human glioblastoma U87 cell line. CD4⁺ T cells were isolated from human peripheral blood using a magnetic separation technique. In vitro coculture of D-U87 neuron-like cells and CD4⁺ T cells was established. The number of adherent CD4⁺ T cells was counted using a fluorescence microscope. The percentages of CD4⁺IFNγ⁺ and CD4⁺IL4⁺ T cells and the levels of IFNγ and IL4 cytokines in the supernatant were measured by flow cytometry.

The results showed that the number of adherent CD4⁺ T cells in patients with allergic rhinitis was significantly higher than that in healthy controls. In allergic rhinitis, the percentage of CD4⁺IL4⁺ T cells was significantly increased in the adherent group compared with that in the nonadherent group. Moreover, blocking ICAM1 and E-selectin decreased the number of adherent CD4⁺ T cells and the percentage of CD4⁺IL4⁺ T cells in allergic rhinitis.

Adhesion contributes to CD4⁺IL4⁺ T cell differentiation in the in vitro coculture system of D-U87 neuron-like cells and allergic rhinitis CD4⁺ T cells, which may provide new insights into therapeutic strategies for allergic rhinitis.