title: Mucosal-associated invariant T cells are numerically and functionally deficient in patients with mycobacterial infection and reflect disease activity.
abstract: Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells contribute to protection against certain microorganism infections. The aims of this study were to examine the levels of MAIT cells in pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) and nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) lung disease patients, to evaluate the clinical relevance of MAIT cell levels, and to investigate the functions of MAIT cells. Patients with pulmonary TB (n = 35), NTM (n = 29), and healthy controls (n = 75) were enrolled in the study. MAIT cell levels and functions were measured by flow cytometry. Circluating MAIT cell levels were found to be reduced in TB and NTM patients. MAIT cell deficiency reflects a variety of clinical conditions. In particular, MAIT cell numbers were significantly correlated with sputum AFB positivity, extent of disease, hemoglobin levels, lymphocyte counts, CRP and ESR levels. MAIT cells in TB patients failed to produce interferon-γ irrespective of the mode of stimulation, whereas NTM patients displayed a defect in MR1-dependent signaling pathway. Notably, an elevated expression of programmed death-1 was also associated with MAIT cell deficiency in TB. This study shows that MAIT cells are numerically and functionally deficient in TB and NTM patients and these deficiencies could contribute to immune system dysreguation in mycobacterial infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yong-Soo
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Nan
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Moon-Ju
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hye-Mi
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun-Ju
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong-Hwa
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ki-Jeong
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Tae-Jong
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Heart Research Center, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hae Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kee
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Nacksung
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, Gwangju, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: sjkee@chonnam.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Seung-Jung
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kee
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, Gwangju, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: parkyw@jnu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Yong-Wook
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002460:Cell Line; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D059425:Interferon-gamma Release Tests; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor / Q000378:metabolism; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: C573415:IFNG protein, human; C105992:PDCD1 protein, human; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor; D007371:Interferon-gamma
keywords: Mucosal-associated invariant T cells; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Nontuberculous mycobacteria; Programmed death-1