Association of Graves' disease and prevalence of circulating IFN-gamma-producing CD28(-) T cells.
BACKGROUND
Peripheral blood CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell subsets lacking surface CD28 have been suggested to predispose patients to immune-mediated disorders.


METHODS
To determine the role of CD28(-) T-cell subset in Graves' disease (GD), we characterized peripheral blood CD4(+)CD28(-) and CD8(+)CD28(-) T cell from early onset GD patients.


CONCLUSIONS
GD patients had significantly higher percentages of CD4(+)CD28(-) and CD8(+)CD28(-) T cells than did healthy donors. Both CD28(-) T cells expressed mostly CD45RO, suggesting that they are activated and/or are memory T cells. GD patient-derived CD4(+)CD28(-) and CD8(+)CD28(-) T cells produced more intracellular IFN-gamma than their counterparts from healthy donors. Furthermore, CD4(+)CD28(-) and CD8(+)CD28(-) T cells from GD patients with Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO) secreted higher level of intracellular IFN-gamma than those CD28(-) T cells from GD patients without GO. Retrospective analysis showed that the increased levels of CD4(+)CD28(-) T cells and their IFN-gamma-producing subgroups were positively correlated to the serum anti-thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) autoantibodies (TRAb). Our observations suggest that increased IFN-gamma-producing CD28(-) T cells in GD patients may play an important role in the pathogenesis of GD.
Sun
Zhiping
Z
Medical Biotechnology Institute, Soochow University, 48 Renmin Road, Suzhou 215007, China.
Zhong
Weixue
W
Lu
Xiang
X
Shi
Bimin
B
Zhu
Yibei
Y
Chen
Lei
L
Zhang
Guangbo
G
Zhang
Xueguang
X
D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D018106:CD28 Antigens; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002469:Cell Separation; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D049970:Graves Ophthalmopathy / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory / Q000235:genetics; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011989:Receptors, Thyrotropin / Q000276:immunology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
D001323:Autoantibodies; D018106:CD28 Antigens; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011989:Receptors, Thyrotropin; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens