title: Gamma delta T cell receptor-positive cells of the human gastrointestinal mucosa: occurrence and V region gene expression in Heliobacter pylori-associated gastritis, coeliac disease and inflammatory bowel disease.
abstract: T cells expressing the gamma delta heterodimer of the T cell receptor (TCR) were studied with respect to their occurrence and expression of gamma delta TCR variable region (V) genes in the normal gastrointestinal mucosa and in a variety of inflammatory conditions. In controls, gamma delta TCR+ cells were a minority population confined to the epithelial compartment of stomach, small bowel and colonic mucosae. Unlike in the periphery, gastro-intestinal gamma delta TCR+ intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) were mainly V delta 1+ (89.98 +/- 17.70%); few were V delta 2+ (6.04 +/- 13.8%) or V gamma 9+ (11.38 +/- 10.73%). All gamma delta TCR+ IEL were CD5low; nearly half were CD8+ and the remainder were CD4-CD8- 'double negatives'. There was no significant change from normal in percentages of gamma delta TCR+ IEL in H. pylori-associated gastritis, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. However, in coeliac disease, gamma delta TCR+ IEL were elevated from 2.54% (+/- 1.71) in controls to 29.6% (+/- 16.1) in untreated patients (P less than 0.001) and 18.5% (+/- 7.2) in treated patients (P less than 0.001) and more were CD4-CD8-. Otherwise, gamma delta TCR+ IEL phenotypes were little changed: the majority remained V delta 1+V delta 2-V gamma 9- and all were CD5low. These data suggest that increased gamma delta TCR+ IEL are not a generalized response to intestinal inflammation or to stress proteins, although the typical V delta 1+V delta 2-V gamma 9- CD5low phenotype is retained.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, St James's University Hospital, Leeds, England.
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Trejdosiewicz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calabrese
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Smart
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Oakes
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Howdle
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Crabtree
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Losowsky
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lancaster
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Boylston
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000276:immunology*; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000276:immunology; D005756:Gastritis / Q000276:immunology*; D015870:Gene Expression; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta