Similar potential to become activated and proliferate but differential kinetics and profiles of cytokine production of umbilical cord blood T cells and adult blood naive and memory T cells.
Low alloreactivity of umbilical cord blood (UCB) T-cells may explain diminished graft-versus-host-disease after UCB transplantation. We investigated whether UCB T-cells have an intrinsic lower capacity to become activated. T-cells from UCB or adult blood (AB) were stimulated with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 antibodies. On days 1-3 after stimulation, T-cell activation was determined by CD25 expression, proliferation was measured, and kinetics of cell division were analyzed by staining with CFSE. UCB and AB T cells exhibited similar numbers of activated and proliferating cells, but the extent of activation was lower in UCB T-cells. Enzyme-linked immunospot analysis showed lower levels and slower kinetics of IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, and IFN-gamma secreting cells for UCB T-cells. Comparison of UCB T-cells with CD45RA+ naive or CD45RO+ memory T cells purified from AB showed relatively low numbers of IL-4 and IL-10 secreting T cells in CD45RA+ AB T-cells and UCB T-cells as compared with CD45RO+ AB T cells. Numbers of IL-2 or IFN-gamma secreting cells in adult CD45RA+ T-cells were lower than in CD45RO+ T-cells but higher than in UCB T-cells. Thus diminished reactivity of UCB T-cells was not caused by a lower capacity to become activated and proliferate but may be explained by a lower extent of activation in UCB T cells, the absence of memory T cells in UCB, and differences between naive T cells from UCB and AB.
Kloosterboer
F M
FM
Department of Hematology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands. fkloosterboer@yahoo.com
van Luxemburg-Heijs
S A P
SA
Willemze
R
R
Falkenburg
J H F
JH
D000328:Adult; D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D018106:CD28 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000276:immunology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005312:Fetal Blood; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D000906:Antibodies; D018106:CD28 Antigens; D017252:CD3 Complex; D016207:Cytokines; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens