CD3+, 4+ and/or 8+ T cells and CD3+, 4-, 8- T cells repopulate at different rates after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.
The antigen receptors of the majority of peripheral blood T lymphocytes are constituted of alpha- and beta-chains in association with CD3. The phenotype of those T cell receptor-alpha, beta cells is CD3+, 4+ and/or 8+. The small subset of CD3+, 4-, 8- T cells includes TCR-gamma, delta cells. These two T cell subsets have different TCR gene rearrangement patterns, tissue distributions and mechanisms of antigen recognition. We studied the repopulation of both T cell subsets in 20 allogeneic marrow graft recipients in relation to the type of graft (T cell-depleted versus non-depleted) and the occurrence of active cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, using three-color immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. The CD3+, 4+ and/or 8+ and CD3+, 4-, 8- T cells had clearly different repopulation patterns. At 1 month post-BMT, they had repopulated the blood to similar levels. Thereafter, the CD3+, 4+ and/or 8+ T cells increased further in number, whereas the CD3+, 4-, 8- T cells stabilized on average between 100 and 200 x 10(6)/l. The nine recipients of T cell-depleted marrow grafts showed a relatively delayed repopulation of their CD3+, 4+ and/or 8+ T cells compared with the 11 recipients of non-depleted marrow. In contrast, the repopulation rate of the CD3+, 4-, 8- T cells was similar in both groups. The occurrence of active CMV infection post-BMT was associated with an increased rate of repopulation of the CD3+, 4+ and/or 8+ T cells, particularly those expressing HNK1, but did not affect the repopulation of the CD3+, 4-, 8- T cells.
Gratama
J W
JW
Department of Immunohematology, University Hospital, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Fibbe
W E
WE
Visser
J W
JW
Kluin-Nelemans
H C
HC
Ginsel
L A
LA
Bolhuis
R L
RL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000276:immunology; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D017252:CD3 Complex; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D015329:Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D017252:CD3 Complex; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell