title: Apoptotic human lymphocytes have diminished CD4 and CD8 receptor expression.
abstract: We used quantitative multiparameter flow cytometric assays to simultaneously detect viable, apoptotic, and necrotic human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and immunophenotyped lymphocyte subsets within the PBMC. Apoptosis was induced by a spectrum of treatments, including camptothecin, cisplatin, dexamethasone, hyperthermia, staurosporine, and etoposide in anti-CD3 mAb-stimulated cells and by cyclohexamide in both quiescent and stimulated cells; apoptosis in the latter was augmented by anti-fas mAb. We found that CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells were significantly underrepresented in the apoptotic PBMC and that the percentage of CD4(+) and CD8(+) PBMC each markedly decreased as apoptosis increased. This suggested that surface expression of these receptors was lessened on apoptotic CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells. This was directly confirmed by observation of sorted CD4(+) PBMC. This analysis of a wide variety of apoptotic stimuli demonstrates that diminished CD4 and CD8 surface receptor expression is a common feature of human T lymphocyte apoptosis.
authors: Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, 98195, USA.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Potter
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Kim
authors: K A
authors: KA
authors: Gollahon
authors: P S
authors: PS
authors: Rabinovitch
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000276:immunology; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D003513:Cycloheximide / Q000494:pharmacology; D005047:Etoposide / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology; D009336:Necrosis; D011503:Transglutaminases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017252:CD3 Complex; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D005047:Etoposide; D003513:Cycloheximide; D011503:Transglutaminases