title: Characterization of circulating CD4+CD8+double positive and CD4-CD8-double negative T-lymphocyte in children with β-thalassemia major.
abstract: Infectious complications represent the second most common cause of mortality and a major cause of morbidity in β-thalassemia major (BTM), with a prevalence of 12-13%. The data on unconventional T-lymphocyte subsets in BTM children are limited. The aim of the present study was to investigate and evaluate phenotypic alterations in CD4+CD8+double positive (DP), CD4-CD8-double negative (DN), and natural killer T-lymphocytes (NKT) in BTM children in comparison to healthy controls. Our case control study included 80 children with BTM and 40 healthy children as controls. Assessment of unconventional T-lymphocyte populations was done using sensitive four-color flow cytometry (FACSCalibur). Our analysis of the data showed a significantly higher frequency CD4+CD8+(double-positive) T cells, CD4-CD8-(double negative) T cells, and natural killer T cells in the peripheral blood of both BTM groups (splenectomized and non-splenectomized) as compared to healthy controls, suggesting that these cells may play a role in the clinical course of BTM. The relationship of the unconventional T-lymphocytes to immune disorders in BTM children remains to be determined. Further longitudinal study with a larger sample size is warranted to elucidate the role these cells in BTM.
  TRIAL NUMBER: UMIN000018950.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Pathology Department, South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.
authors.forename: Asmaa M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Zahran
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Department, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, 71516, Egypt. ksaad8@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Khaled
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8473-6116
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saad
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Department, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, 71516, Egypt.
authors.forename: Khalid I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Elsayh
authors.affiliation: Medical Biochemistry Department, School of Medicine, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohamd A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Alblihed
mesh_terms: D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D008297:Male; D055611:Natural Killer T-Cells; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens
keywords: CD4+ CD8+; CD4− CD8−; NKT; T-lymphocytes; Β-thalassemia major