Increased frequency of CD4(+)CD25(high) Treg cells inhibit BCG-specific induction of IFN-gamma by CD4(+) T cells from TB patients.
Cell-mediated immunity plays a considerable role in the protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. The immune response to tuberculosis (TB) was dominated by both CD4(+) T cells with the T helper 1 type cytokines and CD8(+) T cells. Recent studies have suggested that the circumstances in which protective or tissue-damaging T cell responses to microbes are affected by the activity of Treg (CD4(+)CD25(high)) cells. In the present study, we demonstrated that the frequencies of CD4(+)CD25(+) and CD4(+)CD25(high) T cells in TB patients were significantly higher compared to normal individuals. These Treg cells expressed CTLA-4 and Foxp3 at protein level and displayed activation and memory phenotypes as assessed by flow cytometric analysis. The frequencies of CD4(+)CD25(high)CTLA-4(+) and CD4(+)CD25(high)Foxp3(+) T cells within the total CD4(+) T cell population were significantly increased in the blood of TB patients compared to healthy donors. Moreover, the expression of GITR on Treg cells was higher in TB patients than in normal donors. The phenotypic analysis demonstrated that CD4(+)CD25(high) Treg expressed higher levels of CD45RO and HLA-DR, and lower levels of CD45RA compared to CD4(+)CD25(low) and CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells. The addition of CD4(+)CD25(high) T cells back to cultures could significantly suppress the antigen-specific production of IFN-gamma induced by BCG-stimulated CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells, suggesting that Treg might play a key role in the control of cellular immune responses in TB infection.
Li
Li
L
Department of Immunology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, 74 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510080, China.
Lao
Sui-Hua
SH
Wu
Chang-You
CY
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000097:blood; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000097:blood; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000276:immunology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; D005260:Female; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000097:blood; D053450:Glucocorticoid-Induced TNFR-Related Protein; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000276:immunology; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000097:blood; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000097:blood; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000097:blood; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*
D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D001500:BCG Vaccine; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; C556706:CTLA4 protein, human; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D053450:Glucocorticoid-Induced TNFR-Related Protein; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; C491405:TNFRSF18 protein, human; D007371:Interferon-gamma