Role of gammadelta T lymphocytes in the development of Behçet's disease.
Phenotypic and functional properties of gammadelta T cells, which play an important role in mucocutaneous immunity, were examined to elucidate whether immunological abnormality in Behcet's disease may be related to a specific T cell population. We found that CD45RA+ Vgamma9+ Vdelta2+ gammadelta T cells, which constitute a minor population of gammadelta T cells in healthy individuals, were increased in number in Behçet's disease irrespective of disease activity. This CD45RA+ subset of gammadelta T cells in the active, but not inactive, phase of this disease expressed IL-2Rbeta and HLA-DR, suggesting that they are activated in vivo in active Behçet's disease. In addition, the CD45RA+ gammadelta T cells produced extreme amounts of tumour necrosis factor and contained perforin granules. These data indicate that a phenotypically distinct subset of gammadelta T cells, CD45RA+ CD45RO- Vgamma9+ Vdelta2+, may contribute to immunological abnormalities which may lead to complexity of pathophysiology in Behçet's disease.
Yamashita
N
N
Department of Immunology, St Marianna University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan.
Kaneoka
H
H
Kaneko
S
S
Takeno
M
M
Oneda
K
K
Koizumi
H
H
Kogure
M
M
Inaba
G
G
Sakane
T
T
D000328:Adult; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007536:Isomerism; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D054353:Perforin; D010641:Phenotype; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000235:genetics
D016207:Cytokines; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D054353:Perforin; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens