Apoptosis of Fashigh CD4+ synovial T cells by borrelia-reactive Fas-ligand(high) gamma delta T cells in Lyme arthritis.
The function of the minor subset of T lymphocytes bearing the gamma delta T cell antigen receptor is uncertain. Although some gamma delta T cells react to microbial products, responsiveness has only rarely been demonstrated toward a bacterial antigen from a naturally occurring human infection. Synovial fluid lymphocytes from patients with Lyme arthritis contain a large proportion of gamma delta cells that proliferate in response to the causative spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi. Furthermore, synovial gamma delta T cell clones express elevated and sustained levels of the ligand for Fas (APO-1, CD95) compared to alpha beta T cells, and induce apoptosis of Fashigh CD4+ synovial lymphocytes. The findings suggest that gamma delta T cells contribute to defense in human infections, as well as manifest an immunoregulatory function at inflammatory sites by a Fas-dependent process.
Vincent
M S
MS
Department of Medicine, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington 05405-0068, USA.
Roessner
K
K
Lynch
D
D
Wilson
D
D
Cooper
S M
SM
Tschopp
J
J
Sigal
L H
LH
Budd
R C
RC
D017209:Apoptosis; D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000276:immunology*; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000276:immunology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002999:Clone Cells; D017931:DNA Primers; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D019014:fas Receptor
D017931:DNA Primers; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D019014:fas Receptor