T cell subsets in peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid from children with aseptic meningitis.
T cell subsets in peripheral blood (PB) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) obtained from patients with aseptic meningitis were studied using quantitative two-color fluorescence analysis with a flow cytometer. The percentage of HLA-DR+/CD3+ lymphocytes (activated T cells) in CSF was significantly increased in the recovery phase when compared to the acute phase, while no significant change in the activated T cells in PB was observed. More interestingly, CD4+ T lymphocytes in CSF were increased in the acute phase and subsequently decreased in the recovery phase. Instead, CD8+ T lymphocytes gradually accumulated into the CSF in the recovery phase, resulting in a successive decrease in the CD4/CD8 ratio. On the other hand, the CD4/CD8 ratio in PB remained normal during the course of aseptic meningitis. The present results suggest that T lymphocytes (CD4+ subset in the acute phase and CD8+ in the recovery phase) could be infiltrated and further activated at the site of inflammation, possibly in the subarachnoid space in the patients with aseptic meningitis.
Tabata
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N
Department of Pediatrics, Saiseikai Matsusaka Hospital, Mie, Japan.
Oitani
K
K
Morita
K
K
Shogo
Y
Y
Sakurai
N
N
Zhang
S L
SL
Zhou
Y W
YW
Komada
Y
Y
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D006801:Humans; D008582:Meningitis, Aseptic / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens