title: Human peripheral blood CD8+ CD28- T cells of renal allograft recipients do not express FOXP3 protein.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In recent studies, the FOXP3 molecule has been suggested to be a marker of a suppressor subset of human CD8+ CD28- T cells based on correlations between the level of its mRNA and allograft function. Because this transcriptional factor produces a protein, we suggest that these correlations should focus on the FOXP3 protein. The aim of our study was to evaluate whether FOXP3 protein was present in cells of the CD8+ CD28- population in the peripheral blood of renal allograft recipients and whether the level of CD8+ CD28- FOXP3+ cells correlated with allograft function.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was performed on 30 renal allograft recipients with uneventful stable courses (n=18) or biopsy-proven chronic rejection (n=12). The immunosuppression was based on cyclosporine (n=12) or rapamycin (n=9). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from recipient blood samples were labeled with anti-CD8 and anti-CD28 MAbs conjugated with fluorochromes. After incubation, washing, and labeling using a PE anti-human FOXP3 Kit, we determined the percentage of cells by flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  FOXP3 protein expression was not observed either in the CD8+ CD28- population, or the whole populations of CD8+ or CD28- cells among patient groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expression of FOXP3 protein in CD8+ CD28- cells seems to be of a questionable value as a diagnostic tool for allograft function, it is probably not a marker for the CD8+ CD28- T cell subset.
authors: Department of Immunology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Poland.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Korecka-Polak
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Duszota
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Wierzbicki
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Niemczyk
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Bocian
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Kłosowska
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Paczek
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Górski
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Korczak-Kowalska
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D018106:CD28 Antigens / Q000097:blood; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000097:blood*; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018106:CD28 Antigens; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine; D020123:Sirolimus