Peripheral blood CD161+ T cells from asthmatic patients are activated during asthma attack and predominantly produce IFN-gamma.
In humans, T cells expressing the CD161 molecule NKR-P1A constitute around 20% of the circulating CD3(+) cells and are potentially immunoregulatory in several diseases. Their role in asthma is not well known, but they could participate in asthma attacks. To determinate whether activation of CD161(+) T cells and their cytokine production correlate with clinical status of asthma, we analysed blood samples from asthma attack patients (AAP) and stable asthma patients (SAP) in comparison with healthy non-atopic controls (HC). There was a significant higher baseline expression of CD69 on T cells from AAP and the difference was more notorious on CD161(+) T cells; upregulation of CD69 was observed on both CD161(-) and CD161(+) T cells driven by Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus crude extract, whereas polyclonal stimulation with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate plus ionomycin predominantly induced IFN-gamma but no IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 by CD161(+) T cells in all groups; upon polyclonal stimulation, there were more CD161(+) T cells producing IFN-gamma and less CD161(-) T cells producing this cytokine, contrasting with the opposite results observed in SAP and HC groups. Our results indicate that, during asthma attack, CD161(+) T cells are activated and are able to produce predominantly IFN-gamma but no Th2 cytokines. We hypothesize that during an asthma attack, IFN-gamma produced by CD161(+) T cells could help to reestablish the Th1/Th2 equilibrium. These observations may contribute to the understanding of the immune mechanisms involved in asthma attacks.
González-Hernández
Y
Y
Departamento de Investigaciones Inmunológicas, Instituto de Diagnóstico y Referencia Epidemiológicos, Secretaría de Salud, Mexico.
Pedraza-Sánchez
S
S
Blandón-Vijil
V
V
del Río-Navarro
B E
BE
Vaughan
G
G
Moreno-Lafont
M
M
Escobar-Gutiérrez
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D037181:Lectins, C-Type / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D000099192:CD69 Antigens
D015703:Antigens, CD; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B; D000099192:CD69 Antigens; C527203:KLRB1 protein, human