title: Alteration of T Cell Subtypes in Beta-Thalassaemia Major: Impact of Ferritin Level.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oxidative damage and regular antigenic stimulation are main factors in accelerating immunosenescence. The present study was conducted to investigate new concepts of early immunosenescence in thalassaemia patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty seven beta-thalassaemia major patients and a group of matched healthy volunteers aged 10-30 years in Shahrekord, Iran were recruited into the study. Ferritin level was determined and CD4 or CD8 T cells were analysed versus phenotyping markers, CD27, CD28, CD57 and CCR7, by flowcytometry. Data were analysed by Mann-Whitney and Spearman's correlation coefficient test in SPSS 11.5.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Absolute lymphocytosis and partial decrease in T cells were observed in the patients. CD4+CD57+ and CD4+CCR7- T cells were significantly higher, whereas CD8+CD27+ and CD8+CCR7+ T cells were partially higher in patients. A negative correlation was observed between ferritin level and number of CD8+CD27+ and CD8+CCR7+ T cells, whereas the correlation was positive between ferritin level and number of CD57+ T cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Moderate alteration of T cell repertoire and increase in CCR27-, CCR7-, and CD57+ T cells could reflect antigenic stimulation, decline in naïve T cells, and being closer to terminally differentiated cells. Effect of iron overload is potentially explained by positive correlation of blood transfusion and ferritin level with frequency of CD3+CD27- and that of ferritin with frequency of CD57+ T cells.
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Medical Plants Research Center and Department of Hematology, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences , Shahrekord, Iran .
authors.forename: Batoul
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pourgheysari
authors.affiliation: PhD Student, Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences , Shahrekord, Iran .
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Karimi
authors.affiliation: PhD Student, Clinical Biochemistry Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences , Shahrekord, Iran .
authors.forename: Pezhman
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Beshkar
keywords: Autosomal disorder; Immunosenescence; Oxidative damage