Correlation of specialized CD16(+) gammadelta T cells with disease course and severity in multiple sclerosis.
gammadelta T cells may be important innate immune system contributors to the immunopathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS), though the mechanisms are not yet fully understood. CD16 is a low affinity Fcgamma receptor, an activation receptor for gammadelta T cells, and a mediator of cytotoxicity. In this study, we found that the percentage of CD16(+) gammadelta T cells is elevated in MS patients compared with healthy controls. The increase is especially pronounced in patients with a progressive course of the disease, and the extent of this elevation shows a positive correlation with the time of disease progression and severity. In vitro cultured gammadelta T cells can be shown to upregulate the expression of CD16 in response to inflammatory cytokines such as IL-2 and -15, that have been shown to be elevated in progressive disease. These results suggest that CD16 expressing gammadelta T cells are somehow involved in the process of disease progression. Understanding more about these cells and their particular function in progressive vs. non-progressive disease could provide important clues to the mechanism of immune-mediated MS disease progression.
D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D006801:Humans; D019409:Interleukin-15 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000032:analysis*; D017452:Receptors, IgG / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects
D015703:Antigens, CD; C428200:FCGR3B protein, human; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D019409:Interleukin-15; D007376:Interleukin-2; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D017452:Receptors, IgG