Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) is a necrotising vasculitis of small vessels in which oligoclonally expanded TCR Vβ CD8+ effector memory T cells populations (TEM) may be involved in vasculitic damage. The aim of this study was to assess the functional role of CD8+ T cells in CSS patients by flow cytometry analysis of membrane expression of cytotoxic markers NKG2D and CD107a.
METHODS
Immunostaining of peripheral T cells and effector memory lymphocytes (TEM) from CSS patients and controls was performed by gating CD28 and CD45RA in the CD8+NKG2D+ and CD4+NKG2D+ populations. CD107a expression was evaluated in both whole CD8+ and CD4+ and the TEM cells by gating CD62 and CD45RA following polyclonal stimulation.
RESULTS
NKG2D expression was shifted toward the CD8+CD28- fraction of T cells in CSS patients compared to healthy controls (56.1±25.8% versus 17.2±7.3%, respectively, p=0.002). CD8+Vβ+ expanded T cells showed a significantly increased expression of NKG2D compared to the whole CD8+ T cell population (91.4±1.9% versus 79.7±3.8%, respectively, p=0.015). Moreover the CD8+ population from CSS upregulates CD107a on its surface upon polyclonal stimulation in a significantly higher proportion than healthy subjects (26.2±10.8% versus 8.2±2.9%, p=0.0031) and the majority CD8+ CD107+ cells from CSS patients showed a TEM phenotype compared to controls (64.8±4.9% vs. 19.8±2.9, respectively, p<0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
In CSS, CD8+ TEM lymphocytes show markers of cytotoxic activity, which suggests a role for these cells in vasculitic damage.

Links

Publisher Full Text

Authors

Boita M, Rolla G, Mallone R, Martinuzzi E, Heffler E, Circosta P, Elia AR, Cignetti A, Caillat-Zucman S, de Menthon M, Guida G

Institution

Allergology and Clinical Immunology, University of Torino, Italy. monica.boita@libero.it

Source

Clinical and experimental rheumatology 30:1 Suppl 70 pg S57-61

MeSH

Adult
Aged
Antigens, CD28
Antigens, CD45
Biological Markers
CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes
CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes
Case-Control Studies
Churg-Strauss Syndrome
E-Selectin
Female
Flow Cytometry
Humans
Immunologic Memory
Immunophenotyping
Italy
Lymphocyte Activation
Lysosome-Associated Membrane Glycoproteins
Male
Middle Aged
NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K
Paris
Phenotype
Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article
Multicenter Study

Language

eng

PubMed ID

22640649