title: S-antigen specific T helper type 1 response is present in Behcet's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the frequency and phenotypic and functional characteristics of S-antigen (S-Ag) specific T cells in patients with Behcet's disease (BD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood was taken from 23 active BD patients, 12 inactive BD patients, and 14 healthy controls. The clinical features of the patients were summarized. T cell response against 40 mixed S-Ag peptides was identified by interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) enzyme-linked immunospot assay (ELISPOT). CD69 and CD45RO were used to characterize the phenotype of S-Ag specific T cells. The functional property of S-Ag specific T cells was investigated by measuring the production of cytokines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Response to the mixed S-Ag peptides was found in 56.5% and 25% of active and inactive BD patients, respectively. The responsiveness to S-Ag peptides was unrelated to the clinical features of the patients. About 65.8% of IFN-gamma(+) CD4(+) T cells in active BD patients expressed CD69 and CD45RO concomitantly. S-Ag peptides significantly induced a production of IFN-gamma and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha but not interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, and IL-17 by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in active BD patients with a response to S-Ag.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  S-Ag specific T cells are present in certain active BD patients, and most of them are activated memory CD4(+) T cells. These T cells may be involved in the pathogenesis of BD via producing Th1-dominant cytokines.
authors.affiliation: Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, PR China.
authors.forename: Changlin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Peizeng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Xiaomin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hongyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xiangkun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Aize
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kijlstra
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019393:Arrestin / Q000276:immunology*; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D042541:Intracellular Space / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D019393:Arrestin; D016207:Cytokines; D007371:Interferon-gamma