CD25 as a unique marker on human basophils in stable-mildly symptomatic allergic asthma.

Background: Basophils in acute asthma exacerbation are activated as evidenced by their increased expression levels of activation markers such as CD203c and CD63. However, whether basophils of allergic asthmatics who are in stable phase and have no asthma exacerbations display a specific and distinctive phenotype from those of healthy individuals has yet to be well characterized.

Objective: We aimed to identify the phenotype of basophils from allergic asthmatics in the stable phase and investigate whether such a phenotype is affected by allergen stimulation.