title: Systemic CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell cytokine profiles correlate with GOLD stage in stable COPD.
abstract: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with pulmonary and systemic inflammation. Both CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocytes play a key role in COPD pathogenesis, but cytokine profiles in circulating T-lymphocytes have not been well characterised. Here we report the analysis of peripheral blood T-cells from 30 stable COPD patients and 10 healthy never-smokers for interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-4, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α and the T-helper 17 cytokines IL-17A, IL-17F and IL-22 by intracellular flow cytometry. We found significantly increased proportions of IFN-γ+ and TNF-α+ CD8+ T-cells in COPD patients, when compared with healthy controls. This was most evident in patients with less severe disease. In contrast, expression profiles in circulating CD4+ T-cells were similar in COPD patients and healthy controls for all cytokines tested, except for IL-17F. COPD patients with more severely reduced diffusing capacity had lower proportions of IL-17A+ CD4+ T-cells. Proportions of IL-22+ cells in the CD4+ memory T-cell population were significantly increased in active smokers, when compared with past smokers. Collectively, this comprehensive cytokine analysis of circulating T-cells in COPD patients revealed a correlation for CD8+ T-cells between Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stage and IFN-γ or TNF-α expression, but not for CD4+ T-cells.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Pulmonary Medicine, Erasmus MC Rotterdam, PO Box 2040, NL 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands. m.paats@erasmusmc.nl
authors.forename: Marthe S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Paats
authors.forename: Ingrid M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Bergen
authors.forename: Henk C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Hoogsteden
authors.forename: Menno M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: van der Eerden
authors.forename: Rudi W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Hendriks
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism; D007378:Interleukins / Q000378:metabolism; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D012907:Smoking; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D000097043:Interleukin-22
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D020381:Interleukin-17; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007378:Interleukins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000097043:Interleukin-22