Persistent oligoclonal CD4dimCD8+T cells in peripheral blood.
BACKGROUND
Routine CD4/CD8 T-cell phenotyping may shows a small fraction of CD4dimCD8+ T cells with a homogeneous appearance as described for lymphoproliferative syndromes or chronic infections. The aim of this study was to elucidate the significance of CD4dimCD8+ T cells and their degree of diversity.


METHODS
Phenotyping was performed in 272 samples from healthy donors, elderly patients, and immunocompromised (human immunodeficiency virus or renal transplantation) patients.


RESULTS
The CD4dimCD8+ T cells had decreased fluorescence intensity for CD4 but not for CD8. The frequency of patients with CD4dimCD8+ T cells (>20 cells/microl; 10.3% of patients with human immunodeficiency virus and 7.7% with renal transplantation) was not significantly different when compared with healthy donors (9.7%). The CD4dimCD8+ T cells did not express the activation marker CD69. The CD8 of CD4dimCD8+ T cells expressed the heterodimeric (beta) isoform. In 13 of 26 samples, the apparently highly homogeneous CD4dimCD8+ T cells expressed one predominant T-cell receptor Vbeta clonotype. These predominant clonotypes were widely distributed among patients: Vbeta 5.2, 17, 2, 3, 5.1, 13.1, 14, and 20.


CONCLUSIONS
Whether these findings demonstrate an oligoclonal reaction to chronic inflammation or an emerging lymphoproliferative disorder must be elucidated in a long-term longitudinal study. By analogy to monoclonal gammopathy, we propose to name this phenomenon "oligoclonal clonopathy of undetermined significance."
Lambert
Claude
C
Immunology Laboratory, University Hospital of St. Etienne, St. Etienne, France. claude.lambert@univ-st-etienne.fr
Iobagiu
Cristina
C
Genin
Christian
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry*; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000032:analysis; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology
D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta