Decreased CD3+CD16+ natural killer-like T-cell percentage and zeta-chain expression accompany chronic inflammation in haemodialysis patients.
OBJECTIVE
Clinical and experimental data indicate a deficient immune response in haemodialysis (HD) patients. Natural killer-like (NKL) T cells express on their surface both the T-cell antigen receptor (TCR) and a diverse set of NK-cell receptors (NKR) and share properties of both T cells and NK cells. zeta-Chain phosphorylation is an early event that follows TCR activation or some NKR activation. The zeta-chain of both T cell and NK cells is downregulated in many chronic inflammatory states, HD included. In the present study, NKL T-cell percentage and zeta-chain expression in HD patients were evaluated.


METHODS
Thirty-three stable HD patients and 30 healthy volunteers were enrolled into the study. NKL T-cell percentage and NKL T-cell zeta-chain mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) were evaluated with flow cytometry. The inflammatory markers C-reactive protein, interleukin-6 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha were measured in the serum by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.


RESULTS
All the evaluated markers of inflammation were increased in HD patients. In these patients, NKL T-cell percentage (1.71 +/- 1.69% vs 3.94 +/- 3.86%) and zeta-chain MFI (3.66 +/- 2.79 vs 7.03 +/- 7.91) were decreased.


CONCLUSIONS
NKL T-cell percentage and zeta-chain expression is decreased in HD patients. Taking into consideration the continuously increasing age of the HD patients and that normally NKL T-cell numbers increase with age counteracting the impaired T-cell and NK-cell function accompanying advancing age, the above NKL T-cell disturbances could contribute to the impaired immune response in this population. Measures towards alleviating chronic inflammation could partially restore NKL T-cell impairment.
Eleftheriadis
Theodoros
T
Nephrology Department, General Hospital of Serres, Serres, Greece. teleftheriadis@yahoo.com
Kartsios
Charalambos
C
Yiannaki
Efi
E
Antoniadi
Georgia
G
Kazila
Polizo
P
Pliakos
Konstantinos
K
Liakopoulos
Vassilios
V
Markala
Dimitra
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000032:analysis*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000209:etiology*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000276:immunology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000032:analysis*; D017452:Receptors, IgG / Q000032:analysis*; D006435:Renal Dialysis
D017252:CD3 Complex; D015850:Interleukin-6; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D017452:Receptors, IgG; C054979:antigen T cell receptor, zeta chain; D002097:C-Reactive Protein