[The role of CD8+CD28- regulatory T lymphocytes in pulmonary tuberculosis].
OBJECTIVE
To study the role of CD(8)(+)CD(28)(-) regulatory T cells in tuberculosis.


METHODS
The positive rates of CD(3)(+)CD(8)(+)CD(28)(-) T cells, CD(3)(+) T cells, CD(3)(+)CD(8)(+) T cells and CD(8)(+)CD(28)(+) T cells, and the content of IL-6 in CD(8)(+)CD(28)(-) T cells in leukocytes of peripheral blood from 15 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, 15 patients with chronic bronchitis and 15 healthy controls were detected by flow cytometry.


RESULTS
The positive expression rates of CD(3)(+) T cells of tuberculosis group [(41 +/- 16)%] and bronchitis controls [(40 +/- 10)%] were significantly lower than those from healthy controls [(44 +/- 6)%] respectively, but no differences were found between tuberculosis group and bronchitis controls. The CD(3)(+)CD(8)(+) T cells in CD(3)(+) T cells from the tuberculosis group [(47 +/- 16)%] and bronchitis controls [(44 +/- 10)%] were significantly higher than those from the healthy controls [(41 +/- 12)%] respectively, but no differences were found between the tuberculosis group and bronchitis controls. The CD(8)(+)CD(28)(+) T cells in CD(3)(+) T cells from tuberculosis group [(15 +/- 8)%] and bronchitis controls (20 +/- 7%) were significantly lower than those from healthy controls [(32 +/- 9)%] respectively, and those of the tuberculosis group were significantly lower than those from the bronchitis controls. CD(8)(+)CD(28)(-) T cells in CD(3)(+) T cells from tuberculosis group [(27 +/- 9)%] and bronchitis controls [(22 +/- 9)%] were significantly higher than those from healthy controls [(10 +/- 4)%] respectively, and those of the tuberculosis group were significantly higher than those of the bronchitis controls. The level of IL-6 secreted by CD(8)(+)CD(28)(-) T cells from tuberculosis group [(32.4 +/- 2.4)%] was significantly higher than bronchitis controls [(19.7 +/- 3.2)%] and healthy controls [(15.2 +/- 2.7)%] and no differences were found between bronchitis controls and healthy controls.


CONCLUSIONS
The number of CD(8)(+)CD(28)(-) T cells and their production of IL-6 in the peripheral blood of tuberculosis patients are significantly increased as compared with the control groups, while the number of CD(8)(+)CD(28)(+) T cells (cytotoxic T cell) is significantly decreased. The results suggest that these cells and IL-6 may be involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary tuberculosis.
Yu
Tao
T
Department of Respiratory Disease Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical College, Guizhou 563003, China.
Yang
Yu-hao
YH
Dong
De-qiong
DQ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000276:immunology*
D015850:Interleukin-6