Expression of regulatory receptors on γδ T cells and their cytokine production in Behcet's disease.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

Behcet's disease (BD) is a multi-systemic disorder with muco-cutaneous, ocular, arthritic, vascular or central nervous system involvement. The role of γδ T cells is implicated in BD. The activation status of γδ T cells and their cytokine secretion against phosphoantigens are evaluated in BD.

METHODS:

NKG2A, NKG2C, NKG2D, CD16 and CCR7 molecules on γδ T cells were analyzed in 70 BD, 27 tuberculosis (TB) patients and 26 healthy controls (HC). Peripheral γδ T cells were expanded with a phosphoantigen (BrHPP) and IL-2, restimulated with BrHPP and a TLR3 ligand, and cytokine production was measured.

RESULTS:

γδ T cells were not increased in both BD and TB patients, but the proportions of TCRVδ2+ T cells were lower (58.9 and 50.7 vs. 71.7%, P=0.04 and P=0.005) compared to HC. Higher proportion of TCRVδ2+ T cells were CD16+ (26.2 and 33.9 vs. 16.6%, P=0.02 and P=0.001) and CCR7- (32.2 and 27.9 vs. 17.7%, P<0.0001 and P=0.014) in BD and TB patients compared to HC. NKG2C+ γδ+ T cells were relatively increased (0.5 and 0.6 vs. 0.3%, P=0.008 and 0.018), whereas NKG2D positivity was decreased in patients with BD and TB (77.7 and 75.8 vs. 87.5%, P=0.001 and 0.004). Expansion capacity of γδ T cells in BD and TB as well as production of IL-13, IFN-γ, granulocyte monocyte colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), TNF-α, CCL4 and CCL5 in BD was lower compared to HC, when restimulated by TLR3 ligand and BrHPP.

CONCLUSION:

The changes on γδ T cells of BD as well as TB patients implicate that γδ T cells have already been exposed to regulatory effects, which changed their activity. Lower cytokine response of γδ T cells implicates down modulation of these cells in BD.

• Authors: Gunes Parlakgul, Ekin Guney, Burak Erer, Zeki Kılıcaslan, Haner Direskeneli, Ahmet Gul, Guher Saruhan-Direskeneli
• Journal: Arthritis research & therapy (Arthritis Res Ther) Vol. 15 Issue 1 Pg. R15 (Jan 21 2013) ISSN: 1478-6362 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 23336215 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Cytokines
• Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta

Topics

• Adult
• Behcet Syndrome (immunology)
• Cytokines (biosynthesis)
• Female
• Flow Cytometry
• Humans
• Immunophenotyping
• Male
• Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta (immunology)
• T-Lymphocyte Subsets (immunology)
• T-Lymphocytes (immunology)