Impairment of peripheral Vdelta2 T cells in human cystic echinococcosis.
Cystic echinococcosis (CE) induced by metacestodes (larval stages) of Echinococcus granulosus (E.granulosus) represents a severe endemic disease worldwide. Gamma delta (γδ) T cells, one of innate immune cells, play pivotal role in pathogenic infections. However, whether γδ T cells are involved in CE remains unclear. This study firstly investigated the role of peripheral γδ T cells in CE. The results showed that the percentage of peripheral γδ T cells from CE patients was decreased, compared with healthy controls (HC) (p < 0.01). This decrease was primarily due to a reduction in Vδ2 subset. Furthermore, Vδ2 T cells in CE expressed lower Natural Killer Group 2D (NKG2D) (p < 0.01). The abundance of Vδ2 T cells correlated negatively with cyst burden. To further identify the function of decreased Vδ2 T cells in CE, proliferation rate, cytokine secretion and cytotoxin were detected subsequently in vitro. As a result, the proliferation rate of Vδ2 cells in CE patients was lower than that in HC (p < 0.01). Meanwhile, Vδ2 T cells from CE patients released significantly decreased interferon (IFN)-γ, compared with HC (p < 0.05). Moreover, the levels of perforin and granzyme B of Vδ2 T cells from the patients were decreased significantly (p < 0.05), suggesting impaired cytotoxin generation of Vδ2 cells in CE. Collectively, our findings indicated that circulating Vδ2 T cells in CE was impaired, and these aberrations may contribute to disease pathogenesis.
Department of Pathogenic Biology and Medical Immunology, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China; Key Lab of Hydatid Disease, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China. Electronic address: wanghaograduate@nxmu.edu.cn.
Hao
H
Wang
Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China.
Ming
M
Li
Department of Pathogenic Biology and Medical Immunology, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China.
Xiaoxia
X
Zhang
Department of Gastroenterology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, China.
Fang
F
He
Department of General Surgery, Baogang Hospital, Baotou, Inner Mongolia, China.
Shengbin
S
Zhang
Department of Pathogenic Biology and Medical Immunology, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China; Key Lab of Hydatid Disease, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China. Electronic address: nxmczhaojq@163.com.
Jiaqing
J
Zhao
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000378:metabolism; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008875:Middle Aged; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
D016207:Cytokines; D003603:Cytotoxins; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; C423230:ULBP2 protein, human; D007371:Interferon-gamma
Cystic echinococcosis; Vδ2 T cells; γδ T cells