Diminished percentage of CD4+ T-lymphocytes expressing interleukine-2 receptor alpha in chronic brucellosis.
OBJECTIVE
Despite the treatment, a considerable proportion of brucellosis patients develop chronic disease, characterized by atypical clinical picture and/or relapses. Th1 cytokines are critical for the clearance of Brucella infection and diminished production of IL-2 in response to PHA, has been described in chronic brucellosis. In order to investigate the role of IL-2R alpha (CD25) in disease outcome, we evaluated the ex vivo and PHA-induced percentage of peripheral CD4+ T-lymphocytes expressing CD25 in 13 acute brucellosis patients (AB), 22 chronic brucellosis patients (CB), 11 "clinically cured" subjects and 15 healthy volunteers (controls). Simultaneously, CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocytes subsets were measured.


RESULTS
The ex vivo percentage of CD4+/CD25+ T-cells was significantly higher in AB patients compared to "clinically cured" subjects (p=0.005) and controls (p=0.006). By contrast, CD4+/CD25+ T-cells were significantly lower in CB patients (p=0.001). T-lymphocytes subsets did not significantly differ between the groups. After PHA stimulation, CD4+/CD25+ T-cells remained significantly lower in CB and specifically in the relapsing form of chronic disease compared to AB (p=0.044, 0.023). Additionally, CD8+ T-lymphocytes were found to be significantly increased in CB and mainly in the relapsing subgroup of CB patients compared to AB (p=0.044, 0.011).


CONCLUSIONS
Diminished percentage of peripheral CD4+ T-lymphocytes expressing IL-2R alpha is associated with chronic relapsing brucellosis.
Skendros
Panagiotis
P
Clinical Immunology Unit, 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Aristotle University, Konstantinoupoleos 49, 54642 Thessaloniki, Greece.
Boura
Panagiota
P
Chrisagis
Dimitrios
D
Raptopoulou-Gigi
Maria
M
D000328:Adult; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000378:metabolism*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology
D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins