title: Imbalance in circulating T lymphocyte subsets contributes to Hu antibody-associated paraneoplastic neurological syndromes.
abstract: Paraneoplastic neurological syndromes (PNS) are associated with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and Hu antibodies, which are considered to have an immune-mediated etiology. As a pathogenic role for Hu antibodies (Hu-Ab) in PNS could not be demonstrated, the cellular immune response against the Hu proteins has been further investigated. To delve deeper into the hypothesized cell-mediated immune pathogenesis of these syndromes, imbalances within circulating T lymphocyte subsets were investigated to determine their significance in Hu antibody-associated PNS. The circulating T lymphocyte subsets were analyzed in untreated patients with SCLC, PNS and Hu-Ab (n=10), SCLC without PNS (n=10) and healthy controls (n=12) using flow cytometry. Patients with PNS and SCLC, had a variety of changes within their circulating T lymphocyte subsets, which included; lymphopenia of the CD3(+)and CD4(+) T cells, increased proportions of total activated T cells and activated CD4(+) T cells, and reduced numbers of CD4(+) and CD25(+) regulatory T cells (Treg). These results suggest that the excessive activation of T cells and dysfunction of Treg contribute to Hu antibody-associated PNS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu A233004, China.
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu A233004, China.
authors.forename: Weidong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu A233004, China. Electronic address: weidongqiancn@163.com.
authors.forename: Qiming
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu A233004, China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, and An Hui Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu A233030, China.
authors.forename: Baiqing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, and An Hui Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu A233030, China.
authors.forename: Hongtao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015153:Blotting, Western; D051959:ELAV Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020361:Paraneoplastic Syndromes, Nervous System / Q000276:immunology*; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D051959:ELAV Proteins
keywords: Hu antibody; Paraneoplastic neurological syndromes; Small cell lung cancer; T lymphocyte subsets