CD4-CD8-αβ and γδ T cells display inflammatory and regulatory potentials during human tuberculosis

PLoS One. 2012;7(12):e50923. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0050923. Epub 2012 Dec 11.

Abstract

T-cells play an important role controlling immunity against pathogens and therefore influence the outcome of human diseases. Although most T-lymphocytes co-express either CD4 or CD8, a smaller T-cell subset found the in the human peripheral blood that expresses the αβ or γδ T-cell-receptor (TCR) lacks the CD4 and CD8 co-receptors. These double negative (DN) T-cells have been shown to display important immunological functions in human diseases. To better understand the role of DN T-cells in human Mycobacterium tuberculosis, we have characterized their frequency, activation and cytokine profile in a well-defined group of tuberculosis patients, categorized as severe and non-severe based on their clinical status. Our data showed that whereas high frequency of αβ DN T-cells observed in M. tuberculosis-infected patients are associated with disease severity, decreased proportion of γδ DN T-cells are found in patients with severe tuberculosis. Together with activation of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cells, higher frequencies of both αβ and γδ DN T-cells from tuberculosis patients also express the chronic activation marker HLA-DR. However, the expression of CD69, an early activation marker, is selectively observed in DN T-cells. Interestingly, while αβ and γδ DN T-cells from patients with non-severe tuberculosis display a pro-inflammatory cytokine profile, characterized by enhanced IFN-γ, the γδ DN T-cells from patients with severe disease express a modulatory profile exemplified by enhanced interleukin-10 production. Overall, our findings suggest that αβ and γδ DN T-cell present disparate immunoregulatory potentials and seems to contribute to the development/maintenance of distinct clinical aspects of TB, as part of the complex immunological network triggered by the TB infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Cell Lineage / immunology
  • Female
  • HLA-DR Antigens / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-10 / metabolism
  • Lymphocyte Activation / immunology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis* / immunology
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis* / pathogenicity
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta* / immunology
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta* / metabolism
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta* / immunology
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta* / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / cytology
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology
  • Tuberculosis* / immunology
  • Tuberculosis* / microbiology

Substances

  • HLA-DR Antigens
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta
  • Interleukin-10

Grants and funding

The authors thank Foundation for Research Support of Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG) and National Counsel of Technological and Scientific Development (CNPq) for the financial support and the Program for Technological Development in Tools for Health - PDTIS - FIOCRUZ for use of its facilities. LRA, ATC and OAMF are CNPq fellows (PQ). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.