Skin-homing CD4+ Foxp3+ T cells exert Th2-like function after staphylococcal superantigen stimulation in atopic dermatitis patients.
BACKGROUND
The effect of staphylococcal superantigens (SsAgs) on cutaneous lymphocyte-associated antigen (CLA)(+) CD4(+) Foxp3(+) T cells of atopic dermatitis (AD) patients is unknown.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the effects of SsAgs on the ratio, function, and apoptosis of CCR6(+) subtype and CCR6(-) subtype of CLA(+) CD4(+) Foxp3(+) T cells among AD patients, asthma/allergic rhinitis (AR) patients without AD, and healthy subjects.


METHODS
Using immunofluorescence staining followed by flow cytometric analysis, we analysed peripheral blood mononuclear cells cultured with or without staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) stimulation in 20 AD patients, 20 asthma/AR patients without AD, and 20 healthy subjects.


RESULTS
SEB decreased CCR6(+) /CCR6(-) ratio in CLA(+) CD4(+) Foxp3(+) T cells from AD patients and increased CCR6(+) /CCR6(-) ratio in those from healthy subjects. SEB induced the production of type 2 T helper cell (Th2) cytokine interleukin (IL)-5 in CCR6(-) subtype and anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 in CCR6(+) subtype of CLA(+) CD4(+) Foxp3(+) T cells. CLA(+) CD4(+) Foxp3(+) T cells from AD patients produced more IL-5 and less IL-10 after SEB stimulation than those from healthy subjects. CCR6(-) subtype of CLA(+) CD4(+) Foxp3(+) T cells from AD patients and CCR6(+) subtype of those cells from healthy subjects were more resistant to SEB-induced caspase-3 activation than the other subtype and those from other subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite a phenotype of regulatory T cells, skin-homing CD4(+) Foxp3(+) T cells of AD patients exert effector Th2-like function after SsAgs stimulation, which may aggravate allergic skin inflammation.
Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
Y-T
YT
Lin
C-T
CT
Wang
P-S
PS
Chao
J-H
JH
Lee
L-C
LC
Wang
H-H
HH
Yu
Y-H
YH
Yang
B-L
BL
Chiang
D000293:Adolescent; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D002469:Cell Separation; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000276:immunology*; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; C063419:CTAGE1 protein, human; D016207:Cytokines; D004768:Enterotoxins; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; C031818:enterotoxin B, staphylococcal