Antigen-specific gene expression profiles of peripheral blood mononuclear cells do not reflect those of T-lymphocyte subsets.
Advances in microarray technology have allowed for the monitoring of thousands of genes simultaneously. This technology is of particular interest to immunologists studying infectious diseases, because it provides tremendous potential for investigating host-pathogen interactions at the level of immune gene expression. To date, many studies have focused either on cell lines, where the physiological relevance is questionable, or on mixed cell populations, where the contributions of individual subpopulations are unknown. In the present study, we perform an intrasubject comparison of antigen-stimulated immune gene expression profiles between a mixed population of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and the two predominant cell types found in PBMC, CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes. We show that the microarray profiles of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes differ from each other as well as from that of the mixed cell population. The independence of the gene expression profiles of different cell types is demonstrated with a ubiquitous antigen (Candida albicans) as well as with a disease-specific antigen (human immunodeficiency virus p24). This study has important implications for microarray studies of host immunity and underscores the importance of profiling the expression of specific cell types.
McLaren
Paul J
PJ
Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, R3E 0W3, Canada.
Mayne
Michael
M
Rosser
Stuart
S
Moffatt
Teri
T
Becker
Kevin G
KG
Plummer
Francis A
FA
Fowke
Keith R
KR
D000941:Antigens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000946:Antigens, Fungal / Q000276:immunology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000276:immunology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
D000941:Antigens; D000946:Antigens, Fungal; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24