Bcl-2 expression by CD4 T lymphocytes in Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether Bcl-2 is expressed on CD4(+ ) lymphocytes in the aqueous humor (AH) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease, and to determine whether Fas will induce apoptosis of lymphocytes in the CSF.


METHODS
The percentages of CD4, CD8, CD45RO, Fas, and Bcl-2 positive T lymphocytes in the AH and CSF of eight patients with active VKH and five healthy controls were determined by flow cytometry. Soluble Fas ligand (sFasL) in the CSF was measured by ELISA. Freshly isolated cells from the CSF were cultured with anti-Fas antibody (Ab) and apoptosis was assessed by the TUNEL method.


RESULTS
Fas(+) CD4(+) lymphocytes were the predominant lymphocytes in the AH and CSF of VKH patients. Bcl-2 was strongly expressed in these cells. Soluble FasL was also detected in the CSF. The number of apoptotic cells detected by anti-Fas Ab was not significantly increased in the CSF of VKH patients.


CONCLUSIONS
In spite of the high expression of Fas antigen on CD4(+) cells and the presence of sFasL in the CSF, apoptosis was not observed. Bcl-2 expression may contribute to the regulation of apoptosis of inflammatory cells in the CSF of VKH patients.
Ohta
Kouichi
K
Department of Ophthalmology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan. kohta@hsp.md.shinshu-u.ac.jp
Yoshimura
Nagahisa
N
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000166:cytology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D014607:Uveomeningoencephalitic Syndrome / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000378:metabolism
C505661:FASLG protein, human; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D019014:fas Receptor