Peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets in children with congenital asplenia.
The aim of the current study was to examine whether a congenital lack of the spleen changes distribution, state of activation and function of peripheral lymphocyte T subsets. Seven children with congenital asplenia (CA) aged 1.5-17 years and seven age-matched controls were tested. By triple-color flow cytometry we examined: (1) the expression of CD3(+), CD4(+), CD8(+), CD19(+), and CD56(+) on lymphocytes; (2) the distribution of CD45RA(+) and CD45RO(+) in CD4(+) and CD8(+); (3) the expression of CD27(+) in the CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell-bearing CD45RA(+), CD45RO(+), or CD45RB(+). Lymphocyte proliferative responses and cytokines production (IFN-gamma, IL-6, TNF-alfa, and IL-10) in anti-CD3-induced peripheral blood mononuclear cells were tested. The results indicate (1) a normal distribution of the basic lymphocyte subsets, (2) low CD3(+)/CD8(+) percentage but expressing CD8(+high) and non-significantly elevated CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio, (3) CD45RA(+high) and CD27(+high) in the CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell, and (4) CD45RB(+high) in the CD4(+) and CD45RO(+high) in the CD8(+). The distribution of CD27(+) in the CD45RA(+) and CD45RO(+) CD4(+) T cells remained unchanged. However, the percentage of CD8(+)/CD45RO(+)/CD27(+) T cells tended to be elevated. Altogether, these data indicate that CA is connected with (1) the presence CD4(+) T cells expressing the "naive" phenotype (CD45RA(+high) RB(+high) and CD27(+high)), (2) high numbers of activated CD8(+) T cells shifted toward the memory phenotype (CD45RO(+high)) but still showing high CD27(+) expression, which may indicate failure in T CD8(+) cytotoxic effectors differentiation, and (3) a tendency to the rather pro-inflammatory status of cells, low IL-10 expression, and suboptimal lymphocytes responses to mitogenic stimulation.
Department of Pediatrics and Developmental Disorders of Children and Adolescents, Medical University of Bialystok, Waszyngtona Str. 17, 15-224 Bialystok, Poland. radek@hoga.pl
Radoslaw
R
Motkowski
Jacek
J
Michalkiewicz
Bozena
B
Mikoluc
Dominika
D
Smolka-Afifi
Barbara
B
Pietrucha
Izabela
I
Kubiszewska
Janina
J
Piotrowska-Jastrzebska
Ewa
E
Bernatowska
D000293:Adolescent; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000276:immunology*; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007223:Infant; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D010641:Phenotype; D000081207:Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases; D013154:Spleen / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000276:immunology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7 / Q000378:metabolism
D015703:Antigens, CD; D016207:Cytokines; D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens