title: Cellular immunity in hemodialysis patients: a quantitative analysis of immune cell subsets by flow cytometry.
abstract: Immune cell subsets, when measured by two-color flow cytometry in a population of 129 hemodialysis patients, showed significant variance from normal values. Lymphopenia, decreased absolute counts, and altered percentage values of immune cells were found. Increased proportions of CD3+, T cell receptor (TCR) alpha beta + cells and CD4+ T lymphocytes were present. An abnormally high percentage of a subset of activated TCR alpha beta + cells (alpha beta + DR+) was also seen in hemodialysis patients. The proportion of B lymphocytes was found to be significantly lower as compared with controls. Relative values for TCR gamma delta+cells, both for activated (gamma delta + DR+) and nonactivated (gamma delta + DR-) subsets, as well as for CD8+ lymphocytes and natural killer cells did not vary from those of normal controls. Also, the CD4+/CD8+ ratio showed no significant change. Analysis of absolute counts of the investigated immune cell populations revealed significantly decreased numbers for the majority of subsets, as a result of the preexisting lymphocytopenia, characteristic of end-stage renal disease. We conclude that profound quantitative alterations of immune cells, including TCR+T cells subsets, exist in hemodialysis patients. These account, at least in part, for the immune dysregulation associated with chronic renal failure.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Deenitchina
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ando
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okuda
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kinukawa
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hirakata
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nagashima
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujishima
mesh_terms: D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017260:Receptor-CD3 Complex, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000276:immunology; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000276:immunology; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D017260:Receptor-CD3 Complex, Antigen, T-Cell; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta