title: BTLA exhibits immune memory for αβ T cells in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis.
abstract: Despite past extensive studies, the role of B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) in αβ T cells in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis (ATB) remains poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that BTLA expression on αβ T cells is decreased in patients with M. tuberculosis (Mtb) infection. Particularly, BTLA expression levels are likely critical for αβ T cells to manifest and maintain an active central memory phenotype with high capacity for secretion of IFN-γ and perforin, which are important for immune memory against TB infection. BTLA(high) αβ T cells also exhibited higher capacity in response to Mtb peptide stimulation. In contrast to the role of BTLA played for negative regulation of immune responses, our data in the current studies suggest that BTLA expression on αβ T cells is likely associated with protective immune memory against Mtb infection in the setting of patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis. This previous unappreciated role for BTLA may have implications for prevention and treatment of patients with Mtb infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Institute of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Guangdong Medical College No. 1 Xincheng Road, Dongguan 523808, China ; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics No. 1 Xincheng Road, Dongguan 523808, China.
authors.forename: Jin-Cheng
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: Dongguan Hospital for Prophylaxis and Treatment of Chronic Disease Dongguan 523008, China.
authors.forename: Dong-Zi
authors.initials: DZ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Dongguan Hospital for Prophylaxis and Treatment of Chronic Disease Dongguan 523008, China.
authors.forename: Lai-Long
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.affiliation: Dongguan Hospital for Prophylaxis and Treatment of Chronic Disease Dongguan 523008, China.
authors.forename: Gan-Bin
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Institute of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Guangdong Medical College No. 1 Xincheng Road, Dongguan 523808, China ; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics No. 1 Xincheng Road, Dongguan 523808, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Institute of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Guangdong Medical College No. 1 Xincheng Road, Dongguan 523808, China.
authors.forename: Wan-Dang
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Institute of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Guangdong Medical College No. 1 Xincheng Road, Dongguan 523808, China ; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics No. 1 Xincheng Road, Dongguan 523808, China.
authors.forename: Jun-Ai
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Institute of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Guangdong Medical College No. 1 Xincheng Road, Dongguan 523808, China ; Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical College Zhanjiang 524000, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Xian-Jing
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Institute of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Guangdong Medical College No. 1 Xincheng Road, Dongguan 523808, China.
authors.forename: Wen-Yu
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics No. 1 Xincheng Road, Dongguan 523808, China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Center for Primate Biomedical Research, University of Illinois College of Medicine Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Zheng W
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Institute of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Guangdong Medical College No. 1 Xincheng Road, Dongguan 523808, China ; The Center for Biomedical Research, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology 1095 Jiefang Ave., Wuhan 430030, China.
authors.forename: Cong-Yi
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Institute of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Guangdong Medical College No. 1 Xincheng Road, Dongguan 523808, China ; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics No. 1 Xincheng Road, Dongguan 523808, China.
authors.forename: Jun-Fa
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Xu
keywords: B and T lymphocyte attenuator; Human active pulmonary tuberculosis; memory T cells; αβ T cells