title: Phenotypic and functional characteristics of IL-21-expressing CD8(+) T cells in human nasal polyps.
abstract: Although CD4(+) T cells are recognized to play an important role in the inflammatory response of nasal polyps (NPs), the biological functions of CD8(+) T cells in polypogenesis remain unclear. In this study, we analyzed cell markers, cytokine expression and transcription factors in IL-21-expressing CD8(+) T cells in polyp tissues of NP patients. The results showed that the majority of IL-21-producing CD8(+) T cells were effector memory cells and they co-expressed IFN-γ. IL-21-expressing CD8(+) T cells in polyp tissues expressed higher CXCR5, PD-1, and ICOS levels than cells in control tissues and showed significantly higher T-bet and Bcl-6 expression levels compared with IL-21(-)CD8(+) T cells. Purified polyp CD8(+) T cells promoted IgG production from isolated polyp B cells in vitro, and recombinant IL-12 modulated the expression of IL-21, IFN-γ and CD40L in purified polyp CD8(+) T cells. Moreover, the percentage of IL-21(+)CD8(+) T cells in polyp tissues was positively correlated with endoscopic and CT scan scores in NP patients. These findings indicated that polyp CD8(+) T cells, by co-expressing IL-21 and IFN-γ and other markers, display a Tfh cell functionality, which is associated with the clinical severity of NP patients.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control Research of Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control Research of Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.|Allergy Center, Otorhinolarygology Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Long
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control Research of Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.|Allergy Center, Otorhinolarygology Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Binyan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control Research of Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Changyou
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Allergy Center, Otorhinolarygology Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.|Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Huabin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D023201:CD40 Ligand / Q000378:metabolism; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002469:Cell Separation; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000378:metabolism; D007378:Interleukins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009298:Nasal Polyps / Q000378:metabolism*; D010641:Phenotype; D054380:Receptors, CXCR5 / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult; D000098546:Interleukin-21
chemical_list: C095085:CXCR5 protein, human; C573415:IFNG protein, human; C508717:IL17A protein, human; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D020381:Interleukin-17; D007378:Interleukins; D054380:Receptors, CXCR5; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D023201:CD40 Ligand; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D000098546:Interleukin-21